American man spends $500,000 to have video calling for Tesla boycott aired during Super Bowl

US entrepreneur Dan O'Dowd has spent over $500,000 on a video that was shown during the Super Bowl. It's worth noting that Dan O'Dowd, the leader of the Dawn Project, has been releasing such videos during the Super Bowl for the second consecutive year, urging a boycott of Tesla cars. 

The video depicted scenes of numerous serious accidents involving Tesla cars, some resulting in fatalities. O'Dowd stated that he wants to draw public attention, as he considers Tesla's autopilot to be the "most incompetent software" he has ever seen. He founded Green Hills Software, a company specializing in developing operating systems for cars and airplanes.

Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk did not respond to requests for comments. Musk's followers accused O'Dowd of having a conflict of interest with Tesla since one of Green Hills Software's clients is Mobileye, which also develops driver-assistance software. O'Dowd claimed that his actions are solely motivated by concerns about Tesla's technology.

O'Dowd said, "If people knew the truth, if they understood the consequences, they would demand a ban. That's our job. Politicians will act only if the public takes action." The video highlights three major accidents, supposedly involving the autopilot. One of them occurred in North Carolina, where a Tesla hit a 17-year-old boy exiting a school bus with the stop sign activated and flashing lights. The advertisement concludes with the words: "Tesla remains indifferent. Boycott Tesla and ensure the safety of your children."

The 2019 accident is also recalled, in which a 50-year-old father died when his Tesla collided with a trailer.