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!

    • jaschen@lemm.ee
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      2 hours 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
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        2 hours 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. 👍 😀

    • MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz
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      2 hours 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
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        1 hour 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.

        • intensely_human@lemm.ee
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          1 hour ago

          Including the horrible angle of headrests these days. You’re right though: nobody gives a shit about the extra safety features.

    • Glitterbomb@lemmy.world
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      2 hours 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
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        2 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.

          • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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            1 hour 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
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              1 hour 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
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                1 hour 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
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                  60 minutes 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.

    • Echo Dot@feddit.uk
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      1 hour 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.

    • soycapitan451@lemmy.world
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      2 hours 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.

    • TORFdot0@lemmy.world
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      2 hours ago

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