Elon Musk's Crash Course
| Elon Musk's Crash Course | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Emma Schwartz |
| Produced by | Emma Schwartz |
| Starring | Elon Musk |
| Distributed by | FX / Hulu (United States) |
Release date |
|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Elon Musk's Crash Course is a 2022 The New York Times-FX documentary film directed and produced by Emma Schwartz and reported by Cade Metz and Neal Boudette.[1] The documentary explores the promises made by Tesla's CEO Elon Musk in regards to the promises of self-driving cars and contrasts that with the fatal accidents that have occurred using the technology.[2]
The documentary was released on May 20, 2022 as an edition of The New York Times Presents on FX and FX on Hulu.
Synopsis
Elon Musk's Crash Course explores both the claims made by Musk over self-driving cars and their actual capabilities. The film includes multiple interviews, including former Tesla engineers who worked on the self-driving software which controls the cars. The film compares the raised concerns about the technology to the public statements made by Musk.[1]
The film focuses on the death of Joshua Brown, a former Navy Seal who is considered the first known victim of an automobile fatality while using Tesla's Autopilot.[3] Brown was considered an adamant fan of Tesla, having posted over two-dozen videos about his Tesla and its Autopilot features.[4]
The documentary also explores Tesla's safety features as it developed the self-driving technology, starting with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) investigation into the 38 accidents that occurred in 2016. In addition to the death of Brown, the film also focuses on the death of Walter Huang in March of 2018 when his Tesla hit a concrete wall at 70 mph, and Jeremy Banner, who was killed in March of 2019 when his Tesla drove under a tractor-trailer. Robert Sumwalt, former chair of the [National Transportation Safety Board] (NTSB), makes the claim that Tesla has continued to ignore safety reform following these fatal accidents.[5]
Persons featured
- Elon Musk
- Robert Sumwalt, former chair of the National Transportation Safety Board
- Bryan Thomas, former communications director of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Joshua Brown, considered the first known victim of an automobile fatality while using Tesla's Autopilot
Reception
Russ Mitchell of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the film is "solidly reported and dead-accurate".[6] The Guardian writes that the film does not break new ground, but rather comes across as "cogent synthesis and assemblage of ample archival material".[7] Salon concludes that despite Musk's media presence and the high-profile accidents involving Autopilot, Teslas still retain their status as sought after automobiles.[8]
References
- ^ a b "'Elon Musk's Crash Course' shows the tragic cost of his leadership technology". NPR. May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
- ^ "'Elon Musk's Crash Course' explores the limits of Tesla's 'self-driving' technology". CNN. May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
- ^ "'Elon Musk's Crash Course' Takes A Cursory Look At Engineering And Regulatory Failure". Forbes. May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
- ^ "Joshua Brown, Who Died in Self-Driving Accident, Tested Limits of His Tesla". The New York Times. July 1, 2016. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
- ^ "'Elon Musk's Crash Course': 3 key arguments from the Tesla documentary". The Washington Post. May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
- ^ "Company insiders rip Tesla's stance on safety in hard-hitting Elon Musk doc". Los Angeles Times. May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
- ^ "What can we learn from a new documentary on Elon Musk?". The Guardian. May 17, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
- ^ ""Elon Musk's Crash Course" warns of the danger of a billionaire's love of being unreasonable". Salon. May 25, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2022.