Normally, in semi active suspension, the failure mode is an overdamped vehicle, which is safer but also harsh and uncomfortable.

Reliable? What a quaint idea for a modern car. Mercedes and BMW in particular have been designing cars that fail just after the initial lease period (think plastic water pumps, timing chains at the back of the engine, wet rubber timing belts, CVT transmissions).

Some crazy, unfixable magnetic suspension that lasts 3 years and requires $5000 a corner shocks is par for the course these days.

I indeed have zero faith in a video demo of a digital system with super evenly placed bumps placed in a linear fashion.

It would be so easy to just code up the perfect reaction in advance, & it not be representative at all of the conditions in the streets where the machine actually has to detect and respond dynamically to the conditions of the road