Who is Mark Rober? Details explored as YouTuber lands into controversy while testing Tesla self-driving feature

Mark Rober is a YouTuber, former NASA engineer, and educator. He rose to fame with his educational channel on YouTube and Crunch Labs and for simplifying complex scientific discourses. Rober DIY's scientific toys every month help youngsters "think like an engineer."

Mark Rober posted a video titled, "Can You Fool A Self-Driving Car?" on March 15, 2025, in which he tested the self-driving feature of Tesla. The video begins with Rober driving in his Tesla towards a Wile E. Coyote-style wall.

He says that Tesla's autopilot "famously only relies on simple cameras" and wants to test it against other vehicles that use "more advanced technology." Rober took to his X to share the "raw footage" of his "Tesla going through the wall." Shortly after he released the video, users took to the comment section and critiqued it, with many describing it as "misleading" and "deceptive."

According to users, Mark Rober tests the basic autopilot feature compared to the more advanced Full Self-Driving feature. X has now added a "readers added context" which notes that the "autopilot" in the raw video is "engaged at 42 mph, whereas in the original YouTube video, it is "engaged at 40 mph."

---

Users respond to Mark Rober's video while testing Tesla's self-driving feature

Since its release, the YouTube video has garnered more than 10 million views. However, many users have taken to his X post sharing the "raw footage" of his Tesla breaking through the wall. Many users expressed disappointment at the video and suggested context for other users. While Rober's intention isn't clear, many users have suspected that it may be a subtle promotion for Tesla's competition, Luminar's LIDAR technology.

One user (@stevenmarkryan) took to Mark Rober's post on X and noted,

"Are you KIDDING?? You manually drove at high speed directly at the "wall", and 3 seconds before colliding you quickly "enabled" autopilot? You will never recover from this Mark. Truly embarrassing you'd think posting this clip would exonerate you from the valid criticism. GG."

Many claimed that Tesla may sue Rober for the video. One user (@heyitsyashu) expressed disappointment and added,

"Man imagine not knowing the difference between autopilot and FSD and calling yourself an engineer."

Some noted that this may be a dent to his "reputation" and wrote that they have been following his channel for a long time. For context, Mark Rober has more than 60 million followers on YouTube and Instagram. One user (@niccruzepatane) added,

"Mark, as a fan of your videos, this is incredibly sketchy coming from you. You should know better given your background. The fact that you’re not using Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software in this video blows my mind."

Another (@daltybewer) wrote,

"It takes a lifetime to build a reputation, and a second to lose it."

Many users noted that the "video" shouldn't have been uploaded in the first place and added that he may have lost credibility after its release.

---

The internet is blasting Mark Rober for potentially "misleading" the public, with many noting that it will affect his credibility. It is unclear if Mark will respond or send a message to his audience.

Many suspect that Tesla may sue Mark after many noted the discrepancies in using the driving software. While it seems that Mark's video, like his other videos, aimed to educate about driving technology, many believe that it was an attempt to promote Laminar.

What are your thoughts on Mark Rober's video? Tell us in the comments below.