A news video from Nevada shows a new “Xtreme” Jeep Rubicon (6.4-Liter HEMI V8 – 392 on 35″ off-road tires) stupidly failing to navigate a basic pavement turn at an intersection, crashing with cheshire-cat smiles into the front of a Tesla.
What happens next?
The Tesla “driverless” system goes nuts. First it drives forward and crashes again into the Jeep. The Jeep driver reverses out of the way as the Tesla bizarrely aims to run into it. Then the post-crash Tesla (instead of shutting down or entering a fail-safe mode) accelerates itself straight off the road into a hill before veering wildly back across lines into oncoming lanes and coming to a rest in the middle of the road. Worst reaction possible? This owner is lucky it didn’t flip upside down or launch off a cliff.
He said the Tesla started to malfunction after the hit and began to accelerate forward. “We lost control of the car,” Radu said. “The car went towards the mountain, and I was barely able to stop it at one point…”
After the Tesla sped away, leaving the scene, the undamaged Jeep apparently then was gone too, leaving the deranged, threatening and self-damaging Tesla with nobody to blame.
This Tesla owner now is asking someone to help chase that Jeep, even though the Tesla design and engineering clearly was the biggest failure here. The Jeep literally was in reverse as the Tesla was trying to crash into it.
Well, I agree the Tesla design and engineering clearly was the biggest failure here. However, the Jeep is involved in a felony hit and run. You cannot excuse that regardless of the Tesla behavior. And believe me, I’m no Tesla fan as I’ve commented here many times.
But yes, the Tesla driver should be more concerned with the failed engineering of the Tesla; the police will track down the hit and run.
I’ve told my wife not to follow any Tesla because of the phantom braking. Every time I see a Tesla now I’m in full defensive driving mode. Thankfully, there aren’t many Tesla vehicles in this area.
Misdemeanor in Nevada: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/nrs/nrs-484e.html#NRS484ESec020
And on that note, the Tesla left the scene first by speeding away. Doesn’t the most damage come from Tesla’s actions, including leaving the scene, not the Jeep driver? Was the Jeep supposed to chase after them?
Yes, looks like you are correct about the misdemeanor; significant injury is required for felony hit and run. No, the Jeep driver shouldn’t have chased the Tesla, but I still think the Jeep driver should have called the authorities as they caused the initial accident. The Tesla malfunctioned which is probably poor judgement by the driver to get a Tesla in the first place. Did the Tesla driver intentionally leave the scene or was it the result of the inferior engineering of the vehicle? Did it proceed farther after the end of the video or stay at that point and then call the police? My intent was just to comment; I don’t get involved in back and forth; those are just my thoughts on the accident. I’m not criticizing your post.
I’m do not defend Tesla; Elon Musk needs to answer for multiple counts of fraud. Nothing would please me more than to see him brought to justice but I’m not sure that will happen. I despise Musk and what he is doing with Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and anything he is involved with. He lied to get the launch facility at Boca Chica and that nature area is being damaged by his stupid Starship launches. I’m sure you are familiar with the many different frauds of Elon Musk.