Started off as a concept artist for a few years, then started doing particle effects, moved into 3d environment modeling for a few years, and did a few characters, then moved into character modeling for a few years, then animation, then character rigging, then rigging automation through mel script for a few years. then worked as a technical artist for several years, then learned more programming stuff, then wrote a bunch of unreal script for a few projects for a few more years, then learned C# for unity and now i've been writing C# for VR apps for a while...
I think this project got the spotlight because of the large amount of money pledged, and the large difference between "money asked for" and "money pledged".
I think it's still possible to fraud people over kickstarter by staying under the radar: ask for little money, and if you receive not much (let's say under 5000? 1000?), no-one will bother to investigate whether your project worked out.
I would chalk it to the fact that if you have a really good idea for a new original product, one that is good enough and realistic enough that it would convince people to part with their money, you might as well try and make it a reality.
What happened in this case is that was a product that too few of the mostly technical-oriented Kickstarter audience understood was unrealistic.
I live in Atlanta, while I've driven in Manhattan before and had to get in some tense situations, I understand the type of city you can be referring to there. They're atypical for city driving here.
