--- title: "Tesla Fanboys Want to Throw Kids in Front of Cars on Autopilot to Prove a Point" description: "How do we prove Tesla cars are safe? By throwing real children in front of them, of course, if it were up to these Tesla fans." date: "2022-08-10" modified: "2022-08-10" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/tesla-fanboys-throw-kids-front-cars-autopilot" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Tesla" tags: - "elon musk" - "self driving" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Tesla Fanboys Want to Throw Kids in Front of Cars on Autopilot to Prove a Point ![How do we prove Tesla cars are safe? By throwing real children in front of them, of course! The latest in deranged Tesla fan behavior.]() *\Image: Getty Images/Futurism\* ## Stopping for Children Some people will say or do anything just to prove a point. Tesla fanboys are no exception, and will go to ridiculous lengths to defend their favorite auto maker’s honor. Yesterday, a Twitter user uploaded [a video that went viral]() of a Tesla Model Y and a Lexus RX performing a side-by-side test of the cars’ safety systems to see if they would automatically stop for a child-sized mannequin. Long story short, the Tesla totally blew it. It bulldozed through the fake kid like it wasn’t even there. The Lexus RX, however, equipped with LIDAR technology that Tesla CEO Elon Musk has [refused to use]() for self-driving, came to a complete stop. "It’s 2022, and Teslas still aren’t stopping for children," reads the video’s caption. ## Breaking Eggs Naturally, Tesla's fanboys weren’t very happy with the unflattering portrayal. "If I'm pressing the accelerator, the car should do what I tell it to do no matter what," [replied one user]() to the video. "It shouldn't matter if there's 100 children in front of the car." The user wasn't alone in wanting to put the lives of children at risk for an otherwise unnecessary stunt. "Why was the Lexus moving slower than the Model 3?" [asked another]() skeptical fan. "How to confirm if this test is legit: put an actual child in front of the Model 3 and step on the accelerator." ## Going Too Far Prominent Tesla fanboy and investor account Whole Mars Catalog, who’s [had several exchanges with Musk]() on Twitter, apparently took this proposal to heart. "Unlike LIDAR, Tesla Vision knows that a piece of cardboard is not a child," [the account tweeted]() — despite the mannequin not being made of cardboard. Later that day, Whole Mars [asked its 129,000 followers]() if there was "anyone in the Bay Area with a child who can run in front of my car on Full Self-Driving Beta to make a point?" clarifying that this was a "serious request." To make matters worse, Whole Mars [claims]() someone volunteered their child for the experiment. We can't believe we have to spell this out. Parents: please don’t put your child’s life in harm’s way for this stupidity. **More on Tesla:** [*Concerned Shareholders Heckled While Addressing Tesla Ethics*]() ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()