interesting story from test drive at factory

[srram]

I heard this from someone who was at the factory: cannot verify veracity

Tesla reviewed logs of the test drives. One of the cars was clocked as going at 120 mph.

A model S actually got into an accident. The customer claimed that the 'throttle misbehaved'. Tesla looked up the logs and told the customer that 'you had pressed the throttle and the brake at the SAME time for longer than 3 seconds, so we automatically disengaged the throttle. That is why your speed was only 15 mph when the incident took place and not 55 mph'.

How does liability insurance work for the test drives? I assume Tesla covers it.

 

[AnOutsider]

Was this at Fremont or Hawthorne? If the former, it might explain the accident reported in the test drives thread. As for monitoring, GeorgeB did say he was in the back watching a screen which showed all the model S's, their positions and speed

 

[jerry33]

The accident certainly happened. No idea about the rest.

 

[Doug_G]

You sign a waiver before the test drive saying that you and your insurance are responsible for any damage or liability.

 

[TEG]

A model S actually got into an accident. The customer claimed that the 'throttle misbehaved'. Tesla looked up the logs and told the customer that 'you had pressed the throttle and the brake at the SAME time for longer than 3 seconds, so we automatically disengaged the throttle. That is why your speed was only 15 mph when the incident took place and not 55 mph'.

So that sounds like:
#1: They pushed the "go pedal" to start moving.
#2: They tried to push the "stop pedal" to slow down, but inadvertently pushed both at once.
#3: They got 3 seconds of acceleration before the motor cut power but by then they were already up to 15MPH or so.

One would think that if you pushed both pedals at once that the brakes ought to "win" and the car slows down.
Maybe there is something with the pedal sensitivity such that a partial press of both gives more power than braking?

 

[ckessel]

told the customer that 'you had pressed the throttle and the brake at the SAME time for longer than 3 seconds, so we automatically disengaged the throttle. That is why your speed was only 15 mph when the incident took place and not 55 mph'.

Anyone that drives with both feet on brake and gas shouldn't be allowed to drive anyway...

 

[Beavis]

I believe it based on comments by my co-pilot. Unbelievable that someone would do 120 mph during a test drive. No wonder they put governors on the cars after Fremont.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

Anyone that drives with both feet on brake and gas shouldn't be allowed to drive anyway...

hell yes :smile:

I wonder who hit the 120? I don't think I got it that high since I had a full car but I was on it from the sharp turn all the way back in (definitely 105++)

 

[bonnie]

It wasn't me, but I did have fun. And I did slow down when my co-pilot made that *suggestion*.

 

[TEG]

Yeah, Bonnie only got up to 88MPH, then she had to go back... :wink:

 

[brianman]

Tesla reviewed logs of the test drives. One of the cars was clocked as going at 120 mph.

If TEG can't find the video, it didn't happen.

 

[Trnsl8r]

hell yes :smile:

I wonder who hit the 120? I don't think I got it that high since I had a full car but I was on it from the sharp turn all the way back in (definitely 105++)

Well, not everyone restricted themselves to just the private property for the high-speed testing... There is a journalist review out there (I'll add the link if I find it) where he was calling out speeds of up to 110 on the straight-away by Solyndra. You couldn't pay me enough to be a TM co-pilot for that.

EDIT: Found it, it was the Edmunds review, at the 2:35 mark: 2012 Tesla Model S First Drive and Video

 

[Tommy]

In reading the posts so far, the assumption has been that both left and right foot were being used to operate the car and that led to both brake and throttle being applied at the same time. Another, as plausible scenario is the driver had a "lazy" right foot and did not properly move it completely off the throttle when applying the brake. The result was both throttle and brake were applied at the same time.

 

[Doug_G]

It certainly sounds like driver error. Let's not forget there's another input device called a "steering wheel". Very handy for avoiding collisions.

 

[jomo25]

I thought the Fremont course was pretty flat. Don't recall anyone saying there were Nob Hill-like slopes anywhere on it. So, in that case there were no reasons for any one to be two-footing it.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

the driver was probably just thinking that the regen would actually stop the car. He had just started driving and was pulling over to stop and adjust the mirrors and seat (from what I've heard).

 

[doug]

Do you guys really want this to be another boring thread about hill holding and left foot braking (which btw is totally unnecessary for hill driving), or an interesting thread about speeding and trading paint?

Edit to add: What I'm saying is Stay On Topic!

 

[Lloyd]

It will be intersting to hear the disposition of this incident. Did Tesla pay the damages to avoid a controversy, or did the driver's insurance pay as agreed to prior to the test drive. Especially with the logs from the car it seems certain that it was driver error. It might be beneficial to test the ability of the car's logs to hold up as evidence in an accident.

 

[SCW-Greg]

Well anxious for the Amp tour to hit PDX, for my shot in the saddle!

 

[brianman]

To doug's question: I'm holding out hope that TEG will deliver on my challenge.