• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

2

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

3

The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families

1

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’

2

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

3

The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
TechSuper Bowl

A tech CEO spent almost $600,000 on a Super Bowl ad to warn America about Tesla’s self-driving technology

Christiaan Hetzner
By
Christiaan Hetzner
Christiaan Hetzner
Senior Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
Christiaan Hetzner
By
Christiaan Hetzner
Christiaan Hetzner
Senior Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
February 13, 2023, 9:52 AM ET
Green Hills Software CEO Dan O'Dowd believes Tesla's self-driving technology is a safety risk and wants it off the road.
Dan O’Dowd spent over half a million dollars in his latest attempt to galvanize public opposition against Tesla’s self-driving software, but critics dispute his evidence.Jonas Jungblut—The Washington Post/Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Dan O’Dowd thinks your child’s safety is worth over a half million dollars of his money. 

Sandwiched between the often irreverent and always ultraexpensive Super Bowl ads this year was a commercial from his own Dawn Project, calling for the immediate ban of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature. 

The 30-second ad, which his organization confirmed to CNN cost almost $600,000 to run, is the latest attack against Elon Musk in a yearlong campaign by the Green Hills Software CEO to galvanize public opposition to FSD. 

“I am trying to remove the worst, most incompetently designed, developed, and tested automotive product on the market,” he said in a tweet on Sunday, calling for the U.S. government to mandate the deactivation of Tesla’s FSD until all supposed defects are fixed.

Tesla did not respond to an inquiry from Fortune about the Dawn Project’s Super Bowl ad.

In a tweet on Sunday, however, Musk responded by claiming the ad would actually benefit his carmaker.

“This will greatly increase public awareness that a Tesla can drive itself (supervised for now),” he wrote.

O’Dowd burst onto the scene in January of last year, quickly becoming the most vocal critic of FSD, eclipsing figures like Snow Bull Capital CEO Taylor Ogan, an investor in Tesla rival BYD.

He even ran for the U.S. Senate on one issue: getting supposedly unsafe Tesla FSD cars off the road.

After taking out a full-page ad against Tesla in the New York Times, he followed up in August with videos supposedly proving that Teslas “indiscriminately mow down” children. Tesla quickly responded with a cease and desist letter requesting he take down the video, to which O’Dowd replied he can “afford not to be intimidated by these threats.”

Watch The Dawn Project’s #SuperBowl ad demonstrate critical safety defects in @Tesla Full Self-Driving. 6 months ago we reported FSD would run down a child. Tesla hasn't even fixed that! To focus their attention, @NHTSAgov must turn off FSD until Tesla fixes all safety defects. pic.twitter.com/AxJbN5oOSr

— Dan O'Dowd (@RealDanODowd) February 11, 2023

The authenticity of the videos is greatly disputed, and Tesla-friendly website Electrek claims to have conclusively debunked the claims—an assertion that O’Dowd continues to deny.

“To remove all doubt that these severe safety defects are real, we invite Elon Musk, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, [and] the media to witness a public demonstration,” the Green Hills Software CEO argued on Saturday. 

Musk has moved the goalposts

The Super Bowl ad does, however, substantiate one thing: Tesla’s FSD feature is one of the most divisive issues surrounding the carmaker’s technology. 

Last week, Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak argued he had been cheated by Tesla, arguing that the company had overpromised and underdelivered on its pledge to turn a car into a fully automated robotaxi at the touch of a button. 

Wozniak’s comments came only weeks after it emerged that Elon Musk had in fact staged a crucial 2016 video upon which he based his claim for leading the industry in self-driving technology. 

Last year Tesla finally expanded its so-called FSD beta to all U.S. and Canadian customers who purchased the software package, which currently costs $15,000. 

Yet it remains a far cry from what was promised. Instead of a fully automated vehicle, it remains nothing more than an assist system—albeit an advanced one—that requires constant supervision by a licensed driver behind the wheel.

Even Electrek noticed in October that Musk had shifted the goalposts, with FSD stuck in “beta” development for an indefinite period of time. Currently 400,000 customers are testing the software. 

By comparison, tech firms like Cruise and Waymo offer actual robotaxi services in limited geofenced areas where the surroundings have been meticulously mapped out in high definition digital maps.

Later this year, Mercedes-Benz expects to become the first carmaker to market a rudimentary drive pilot in the U.S., which will see drivers in Nevada legally allowed to take their eyes off the road. It has already been selling this technology in Germany since last May.

Learn how to navigate and strengthen trust in your business with The Trust Factor, a weekly newsletter examining what leaders need to succeed. Sign up here.

About the Author
Christiaan Hetzner
By Christiaan HetznerSenior Reporter
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Christiaan Hetzner is a former writer for Fortune, where he covered Europe’s changing business landscape.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Both U.S. and Chinese AI firms are setting up shop in Singapore. Can the country become Asia’s neutral AI hub?
AsiaSingapore
Both U.S. and Chinese AI firms are setting up shop in Singapore. Can the country become Asia’s neutral AI hub?
By Angelica AngJune 19, 2026
3 hours ago
Exclusive: Azzi Fudd joins Project B, the international league chasing a billion-dollar opportunity in global basketball
MPWSports
Exclusive: Azzi Fudd joins Project B, the international league chasing a billion-dollar opportunity in global basketball
By Emma HinchliffeJune 19, 2026
10 hours ago
g
CommentaryVenture Capital
I watched enterprises buy AI that solved the wrong problem. So I left Dell and built a startup to fix it
By Ganesh PadmanabhanJune 19, 2026
11 hours ago
Sam Altman looks down and to the side, frowning.
AIOpenAI
Sam Altman was ‘0%’ excited to be a CEO of a public company—but OpenAI is taking steps to compete in the AI IPO blitz anyway
By Sasha RogelbergJune 19, 2026
12 hours ago
Record revenues. Record profits. Record revenue per employee. The Fortune 500 is richer than ever—and employing fewer people
EconomyFortune 500
Record revenues. Record profits. Record revenue per employee. The Fortune 500 is richer than ever—and employing fewer people
By Claire ZillmanJune 19, 2026
12 hours ago
Samantha Gloede
CommentaryLeadership
Boards must avoid sleepwalking into the AI era. KPMG’s Global AI risk chief has a survival guide
By Samantha GloedeJune 19, 2026
12 hours ago

Most Popular

Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
Success
Anne Hathaway says she was spammed with ChatGPT-written thank you notes after hiring for a recent role: ‘Nobody on that list gets that job’
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 18, 2026
2 days ago
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
Environment
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
By Sydney LakeJune 19, 2026
12 hours ago
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
Economy
The affordability crisis is so bad that, for the first time ever, both mom and dad are working full-time in most American families
By Jacqueline MunisJune 17, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 18, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 18, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 18, 2026
1 day ago
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
Big Tech
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
By Tristan BoveJune 15, 2026
4 days ago
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
Success
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
By Preston ForeJune 17, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.