Mark Rober’s latest viral stunt aimed to pit Tesla’s Autopilot against a lidar-equipped car, but the results—and the controversy—were wilder than expected. In the video, Tesla’s camera-only system fails to brake for a painted wall, while the lidar-equipped vehicle stops safely. However, after racking up millions of views, skeptics started picking apart the footage, claiming Rober manipulated the test to make Tesla look bad. Autopilot’s status during the crash, potential multiple takes, and even accusations of hidden sponsorship by Luminar sparked intense debate. While Rober denies foul play, the video raises questions about Tesla's safety claims—and about the ethics of YouTube "experiments."

Key Points:

• The Test: Rober compared Tesla’s Autopilot (camera-only) with a lidar-equipped car to see if they’d stop for a Wile E. Coyote-style fake road wall.
• The Outcome: The Tesla Model Y failed to stop and crashed, while the lidar car avoided the collision.
• Autopilot Controversy: Critics claim Autopilot wasn’t even engaged or that it disengaged right before impact. Rober later released raw footage confirming it was engaged but possibly turned off right before the crash.
• Tesla’s Known Issues: Past investigations found Tesla’s Autopilot often disengages seconds before crashes, but authorities haven’t proven it’s intentional.
• Outdated System? Some argue Rober should’ve tested Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, though it still relies on cameras, not lidar.
• Multiple Takes? Small inconsistencies in speed suggest multiple runs, which is standard for YouTube content creation.
• Sponsorship Allegations: Luminar’s involvement raised suspicions, though Rober insists it wasn’t a paid promotion.
• Other Oddities: Photoshop accusations, debate over a Google Pixel phone, and even the possibility that the crash hole was pre-cut added to the skepticism.

Whether Rober set out to fairly test Tesla or to craft an engaging YouTube spectacle, the video stirred important conversations about Tesla’s technology—and the reliability of both self-driving cars and online experiments.
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