What We’re Reading
May 25, 2022
Tesla Model Y caught on fire while driving; driver claimed to have to break window to get out (Electrek, May 23, 2022)
Drivers new to electric vehicles face a steep learning curve, as illustrated by this recent incident in which a relatively new Tesla Model Y owner had to kick out the driver-side door window to escape his car just before it caught fire. We can only assume he was thinking “is there a manual door release, and where the heck is it” as he executed his emergency exit.
According to the driver, who purchased the Tesla just eight months ago, the car suddenly “powered down” after an error notification appeared—and then began to fill with smoke. While EV battery fires have made the news and are reportedly very difficult to extinguish, it is not yet clear if this fire started at the battery. In fact, the fire was controlled within seconds of the fire department’s arrival, and remains under investigation.
We can’t blame this driver for breaking his window, but figured there must be an easier way to escape a near-burning vehicle. It turns out, there is. The Tesla Model Y—and all other EVs for that matter—has manual door releases that will enable the driver to exit even without a power supply. The front trunk (“frunk”) also has a manual release.
Let this be a lesson: if you don’t know where to find your car’s emergency manual releases, it’s a great idea to learn.
AAA Research Proves Need for ADAS Education (glassBYTEs.com, May 17, 2022)
Relatedly, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety issued a technical report examining changes in a driver’s understanding of ADAS features (specifically adaptive cruise control) over the first six months of owning a car equipped with such features. A small sample of drivers was assessed before, many times during, and after six months of ownership. The findings are not entirely surprising. According to Dr. David Yang, Executive Director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the “research finds that drivers who attempt the ‘self-taught’ approach to ADAS might not fully master its entire capabilities.” By contrast, “drivers who have adequate training are able to effectively use the vehicle technology.”
Tesla’s Autopilot feature under scrutiny by NHTSA in fatal California crash investigation (Repairer Driven News, May 23, 2022)
NHTSA has announced it will investigate whether a “partially automated driving system” was involved in a recent fatal collision on the Pacific Coast Highway involving a 2022 Tesla Model S. The Tesla crashed into a curb and then hit construction equipment at the side of the road, leaving three people in the vehicle dead. Three construction workers on the site also were injured. This crash is the latest of more than thirty crashes NHTSA currently is investigating involving ADAS functions; 28 of these crashes involve Teslas.