1492

Mark Rober just set up one of the most interesting self-driving tests of 2025, and he did it by imitating Looney Tunes. The former NASA engineer and current YouTube mad scientist recreated the classic gag where Wile E. Coyote paints a tunnel onto a wall to fool the Road Runner.

Only this time, the test subject wasn’t a cartoon bird… it was a self-driving Tesla Model Y.

The result? A full-speed, 40 MPH impact straight into the wall. Watch the video and tell us what you think!

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] Glitterbomb@lemmy.world 36 points 1 day ago

You realize Mark Robers target audience is like 8 years old, right? He also references looney tunes and wile e coyote a couple dozen times, including in this thumbnail you're losing your mind over. The thumbnail fits the theme very well if you ask me.

This video isn't a rigorous scientific test. This is a children's video designed to get them interested in the scientific method. Get over yourself.

[-] Valmond@lemmy.world 9 points 23 hours ago

IMO it doesn't need to be a rigorous scientific test, it's not trying to prove something works as it should under all conditions. It's showing the exact opposite, it does not work under this one condition, which is more than enough to disprove the safety of the car.

[-] chaogomu@lemmy.world 3 points 19 hours ago

More than one test failed.

The Tesla failed the heavy rain and the heavy fog tests.

There's zero excuse to fail either of those tests. But the Tesla killed the kid both times.

The wall test was just to show that the Tesla cannot put together optical clues.

[-] Buffalox@lemmy.world 4 points 1 day ago

Why would children be interested in car safety?

[-] jaschen@lemm.ee 28 points 1 day ago

My 6 year old kid loves anything about car and enjoyed Marks video. While driving him from school, he asked me why we can tell it's a wall but the cars can't. It sparked a 20 minutes discussion on car safety and why we need seat belts.

[-] Buffalox@lemmy.world 12 points 1 day ago

While driving him from school, he asked me why we can tell it’s a wall but the cars can’t.

Cool inquisitive kid you have there. 👍 😀

[-] KayLeadfoot@fedia.io 2 points 12 hours ago

Who downvoted this? XD This brings me joy

[-] MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz 19 points 1 day ago

Why would children be interested in anything?

Have you never seen educational content before that wraps up potentially boring teachings in an exciting narrative?

[-] Buffalox@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago* (last edited 23 hours ago)

Since most grownups aren't interested in safety, I just thought it would be even less for kids.
All sales promotion stats show that car buyers basically don't care about safety features. Almost all significant safety features are there because of regulation.

Edit:
I can only laugh at the downvoters, you know nothing. It's been a well established fact that safety doesn't sell cars since the 50's.

[-] zenpocalypse@lemm.ee 4 points 22 hours ago

Seems like a strange application of stats when, as you say, the regulated safety features - the important ones - need not come into a decision-making process and advertising them would be a waste of time.

[-] Buffalox@lemmy.world 1 points 19 hours ago

Stats made over decades back in 50-70's

[-] zenpocalypse@lemm.ee 1 points 12 hours ago

So... out of date stats about advertising?

[-] Glitterbomb@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago

Oh wow, you really didn't realize? Yeah man this is a youtube channel for getting kids interested in science and technology, like the technology surrounding self driving cars and lidar. Did you see the part where he introduced the technology by taking it to Disney world?

Here's a random video from crunchlabs, the company he created and advertises on ALL of his videos. This video shows his fan base enjoying what they got from crunchlabs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrY-8_hJLJo

[-] Buffalox@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago* (last edited 23 hours ago)

That's cool then, but probably not for me. And I still think it's misleading. If they made the analogy in the video it would be different. But as it is, it looks like clickbait. And honestly using clickbait on children is actually worse.

[-] flamingarms@feddit.uk 5 points 23 hours ago

They do make the analogy in the video. They reference it multiple times.

[-] Buffalox@lemmy.world 1 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago)

Maybe I didn't have sound, and that's not the problem, the problem is the thumbnail for the video is clickbait, I don't get why I have to repeat that so many times?
I understand the joke of the analogy to cartoons, and it's perfectly fine they make that in the video.

[-] flamingarms@feddit.uk 5 points 23 hours ago

"And I still think it's misleading. If they made the analogy in the video it would be different."

I was just responding to your own point, mate. Good news, it is in the video multiple times, even visually referenced multiple times. They even described as a cartoonish test while showing the cartoon wall gag. So, per your own words, should be good to go then, yeah? I mean, you're arguing with yourself at this point.

[-] Buffalox@lemmy.world 1 points 23 hours ago

By being different if it's in the video, I'm just saying it's OK to make the analogy WITH CONTEXT!
How do you understand it otherwise? It obviously doesn't change the fact that the thumbnail is clickbait either way.

[-] flamingarms@feddit.uk 6 points 23 hours ago

Yeah, and they make the analogy with context. And the thumbnail references the analogy. And all of it is fully owned as cartoonish and the cartoon is referenced multiple times, even with visuals. So per your own thoughts, should be OK.

[-] soycapitan451@lemmy.world 9 points 1 day ago

Why is anyone interested in anything?

My nephew was obsessed with Teslas a few years ago. I asked him why, his response? The indicators can be set to make fart noises.

My 7 year old daughter and I watch Mark's videos together and they have helped to spark her interest in engineering & science.

[-] lumpybag@reddthat.com 3 points 1 day ago

Because they don’t want their friend to die?

[-] echodot@feddit.uk 2 points 23 hours ago

When I was a kid I was extremely interested in junction layouts, it drove my parents mad. Kids like all sorts of random things.

[-] TORFdot0@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Kids love cyber trucks, teslas, Ferraris, or any car that is perceived as very expensive

this post was submitted on 16 Mar 2025
1492 points (100.0% liked)

Technology

66687 readers
3706 users here now

This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.


Our Rules


  1. Follow the lemmy.world rules.
  2. Only tech related content.
  3. Be excellent to each other!
  4. Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
  5. Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
  6. Politics threads may be removed.
  7. No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
  8. Only approved bots from the list below, this includes using AI responses and summaries. To ask if your bot can be added please contact a mod.
  9. Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
  10. Accounts 7 days and younger will have their posts automatically removed.

Approved Bots


founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS