Model 3 Accident, Is this car really safe to drive?

[WarpFactor3]

Obviously this is anecdotal, but I was in this crash about 15 years ago and no airbags deployed. They don’t always deploy even if it seems they should. I was uninjured in the crash and I was thankful not to get a face full of airbag. Just my two cents. Sorry to hear about your crash. Glad you made it out safe.

 

[Daveman]

Glad you're OK.
I had 2 friends killed in an almost identical crash into a tree. The internal combustion engine was pushed into the passenger cabin. They didn't have a chance.

The fact that Teslas have such a huge & effective crumple-zone is a huge safety advantage.

 

[RKBA]

Glad you're ok. Ignore the haters saying you shouldn't have been driving. Even with symptoms 24-48 hours out, most people (other than hypochondriacs) would not immediately think it was their appendix. More likely to assume it's gas or constipation, etc. And some people just aren't as sensitive to minor pain/indications.

As an engineer myself, I'd be curious about the impact data as well. I'd definitely talk to Tesla corporate about it, if for no other reason than they may want to look at the data and see if there's a way they could detect when a driver is incapacitated.

As for the tax credit, it sounds like you'd be better off waiting until 2019 because your tax liability isn't high enough to double up on the credit this year. Better $3750 credit next year than a net ~$1500 this year.

And if you're looking to gift someone a referral, I'd be happy to offer mine.

 

[hill]

View attachment 364428 Obviously this is anecdotal, but I was in this crash about 15 years ago and no airbags deployed. They don’t always deploy even if it seems they should. I was uninjured in the crash and I was thankful not to get a face full of airbag. Just my two cents. Sorry to hear about your crash. Glad you made it out safe.

Years and years ago, the slowest speed/fatality, with seatbelt - non-solid driveshaft - 1990's series vehicle was just 7mph (estimated via damage) . Head hit steering wheel "just right" or wrong, turning on viewpoint. Some people can take a hit and others can't. Accidents that we all survive from - nearly whole, is a good day.
.

 

[wcorey]

More likely to assume it's gas or constipation, etc. And some people just aren't as sensitive to minor pain/indications.

How many times in your life have you spontaneously lost consciousness? "Haters"? I can't speak for all on here but I certainly don't know him/her well enough to hate. That word is bantered about WAY too often and WAY to capriciously. If I were driving along and had a stroke or heart attack I would not be airing my grievances on here, nor blaming the car. In fact our son's father-in-law was driving along minding his own business and DID have a heart attack. He pulled over and someone else drove him to the hospital.
Sure, that's why we carry insurance to insure against the unforeseen or stupid. If we're now talking about how to best 'game' this, now we've entered another sphere entirely. That the OP is attacking others tells me (s)he is looking for affirmation.

The OP said, "Just a sore chest and then the ride to the hospital for surgery for a burst appendicts, that has been no fun and the pain was incredible. Enough that I passed out. And it went from an annoying stomach pain to full blown incapacitating pain in under a minute"

Under a minute is sufficient time to pull over and call 911, (s)he didn't spontaneously lose consciousness.

 

[Toysla]

I was in an accident on Tuesday 18 December at approximately 12:30 pm while driving my Model 3. I experienced a medical emergency which caused me to completely black out while driving. I am seriously concerned about what did and did not happen as a result of the accident. First my Model 3 left the roadway after I became unconscious and struck a telephone pole. I do not know how fast I was traveling at the time of the collision with the pole but I do know the car was crumpled half way to the firewall.

None of the airbags deployed, not one. How can a front end collision of this magnitude not result in any airbags deploying. The car also never alerted Tesla that an accident had occurred?? I confirmed this by speaking to the Tesla Service Center and they reviewed the data pulled from the car. They said all they were getting is that some “secondary systems” were reported malfunctions.

Now I need to determine if the car is repairable or not and then decide if I even want the car. I purchased the Tesla for several reasons, one of the biggest being it’s safety rating but I have serious concerns about the “real” safety.

I am really uncomfortable driving the Tesla in the future with my family inside if the safety systems do not function.

I would like to escalate this accident to someone who can provide answers. Both people I spoke to at the Service Center after seeing the pictures said that absolutely the airbags should have deployed and absolutely an accident message should have been transmitted to Tesla.

I would also think that Tesla would be very interested in finding out why they car did not function properly.

I was in an accident on Tuesday 18 December at approximately 12:30 pm while driving my Model 3. I experienced a medical emergency which caused me to completely black out while driving. I am seriously concerned about what did and did not happen as a result of the accident. First my Model 3 left the roadway after I became unconscious and struck a telephone pole. I do not know how fast I was traveling at the time of the collision with the pole but I do know the car was crumpled half way to the firewall.

None of the airbags deployed, not one. How can a front end collision of this magnitude not result in any airbags deploying. The car also never alerted Tesla that an accident had occurred?? I confirmed this by speaking to the Tesla Service Center and they reviewed the data pulled from the car. They said all they were getting is that some “secondary systems” were reported malfunctions.

Now I need to determine if the car is repairable or not and then decide if I even want the car. I purchased the Tesla for several reasons, one of the biggest being it’s safety rating but I have serious concerns about the “real” safety.

I am really uncomfortable driving the Tesla in the future with my family inside if the safety systems do not function.

I would like to escalate this accident to someone who can provide answers. Both people I spoke to at the Service Center after seeing the pictures said that absolutely the airbags should have deployed and absolutely an accident message should have been transmitted to Tesla.

I would also think that Tesla would be very interested in finding out why they car did not function properly.

Firstly, I glad you are, or seem, okay. Secondly, I’m glad you didn’t hurt or kil any other driver or pedestrian.
Yes, airbag deployment is an interesting question and the only one I might question is maybe why Tesla wasn’t notified after impact ? What’s more amazing is that you are able to post comments with relative ease and not laid up in a hospital.
Lots of questions, but one main answer- you were able to walk away from this with limited injuries. Sounds to me like your Tesla did its job and supports what independent studies claim. That’s a pretty good outcome.
Given your experience and results, what safe(r) replacement vehicle were you now considering?

 

[devilmountain]

How many times in your life have you spontaneously lost consciousness? "Haters"? I can't speak for all on here but I certainly don't know him/her well enough to hate. That word is bantered about WAY too often and WAY to capriciously. If I were driving along and had a stroke or heart attack I would not be airing my grievances on here, nor blaming the car. In fact our son's father-in-law was driving along minding his own business and DID have a heart attack. He pulled over and someone else drove him to the hospital.
Sure, that's why we carry insurance to insure against the unforeseen or stupid. If we're now talking about how to best 'game' this, now we've entered another sphere entirely. That the OP is attacking others tells me (s)he is looking for affirmation.

The OP said, "Just a sore chest and then the ride to the hospital for surgery for a burst appendicts, that has been no fun and the pain was incredible. Enough that I passed out. And it went from an annoying stomach pain to full blown incapacitating pain in under a minute"

Under a minute is sufficient time to pull over and call 911, (s)he didn't spontaneously lose consciousness.

I have passed out twice in my life, once when I was a kid due to low blood sugar. Another time was at the doctors office, the doctor stuck a needle in my knee and I passed out due to pain. I can recall that there was no indication this was going to happen until it happened.

Everyone takes pain differently and reacts differently. I know a guy who goes to the dentist, gets dental work done without being numbed up. He fears needles but gladly takes the dental drill.

 

[immolated]

Tesla provides the means for you to extract the Event Data Recorder information yourself. Here's the link: Event Data Recorder. Have at it!

Huh, didn't know that was available when I had an accident last year. Any chance the data will still be there?

 

[wcorey]

I have passed out twice in my life, once when I was a kid due to low blood sugar. Another time was at the doctors office, the doctor stuck a needle in my knee and I passed out due to pain. I can recall that there was no indication this was going to happen until it happened.

Everyone takes pain differently and reacts differently. I know a guy who goes to the dentist, gets dental work done without being numbed up. He fears needles but gladly takes the dental drill.

Yeah, that just makes parts of my body shrink in an attempt to hide. Seriously though, I am glad the OP is OK. I know diabetics that have gotten wedged into low blood sugar...plenty of notice there. Perhaps not enough to prevent which is why they carry glucose tabs. I don't question the severity of a burst appendix. I question the motivation to air it all out on here with the implication somehow the Tesla did not perform. It DID. Read pg 87 of owners manual re braking.
The OP said, "Just a sore chest and then the ride to the hospital for surgery for a burst appendicts, that has been no fun and the pain was incredible. Enough that I passed out. And it went from an annoying stomach pain to full blown incapacitating pain in under a minute". That tells me he could have pulled over, there was time to mitigate consequences. Again, unfortunate. But to be talking about replacing it and how to get two tax credits??? It likely won't be totaled by the insurance company. It'll be expensive but likely not more than a brand new M3.

 

[TT97]

I have passed out twice in my life, once when I was a kid due to low blood sugar. Another time was at the doctors office, the doctor stuck a needle in my knee and I passed out due to pain. I can recall that there was no indication this was going to happen until it happened.

Everyone takes pain differently and reacts differently. I know a guy who goes to the dentist, gets dental work done without being numbed up. He fears needles but gladly takes the dental drill.

And you still drive now? Can you really be certain no one is going to stick you with a needle while you are driving?

Better hold off driving until FSD is available.

 

[whatthe2]

I call everybody's attention to page 87 in the Model 3 Owners Manual. I am surprised people haven't cited this earlier. So, that raises an important question. How many of you actually have read the manual?

65.8% of people have read the manual
Poll: Who's read the manual?

 

[Gavyne]

It does feel that OP is trying to play the angle that something's wrong with the car so he's not stuck with huge medical and car repair bills. Maybe that's not the case, I apologize if so, but it just reads that way with the way the thread title and post content was made.

Most people who passes out while driving but then able to wake up and see the car prevented a life threatening injury would be extremely grateful of the car. Be glad you were driving a Model 3 where 1) regen braking slowed the car down after you passed out, 2) automatic emergency braking likely slowed the car down even further seconds before impact, 3) car's superior crumple zone design made sure the front of the car absorbed the impact so you didn't have to. Lack of an engine like ICE cars made sure nothing got pushed into driver's cabin.

Airbags deploy only if there's enough force detected. It's pretty easy to tell from the pics that there wasn't enough force to trigger the airbags.

 

[wcorey]

65.8% of people have read the manual
Poll: Who's read the manual?

It's 66% now. I didn't know anyone put up a poll. Good Job, well done! I don't believe it though. No one is going to admit just posting a question (the lazy answer). Nobody had mentioned the car, even without EAP or FSD, will evade collisions or rear end accidents.. a telephone pole is such an obstacle. Even in Summons, if the car senses you in it's path, it'll stop.

 

[StellarRat]

You're alive aren't you?

 

[wcorey]

It does feel that OP is trying to play the angle that something's wrong with the car so he's not stuck with huge medical and car repair bills. Maybe that's not the case, I apologize if so, but it just reads that way with the way the thread title and post content was made.

Exactly how I took it. Now this whole incident is memorialized for investigators to review and use in their determinations of blame.

 

[whatthe2]

It's 66% now. I didn't know anyone put up a poll. Good Job, well done! I don't believe it though. No one is going to admit just posting a question (the lazy answer). Nobody had mentioned the car, even without EAP or FSD, will evade collisions or rear end accidents.. a telephone pole is such an obstacle. Even in Summons, if the car senses you in it's path, it'll stop.

I figured no one would admit to that either, but surprisingly two people did vote that way.

 

[SVMike]

The car is absolutely safe. Safest cars on the planet. Reality check, you are unsafe.

The car is a very safe car, but it isn't right to say it is "absolutely" safe -- way too many variables to conclude that.
And, IMHO, there is no evidence that the driver is/was unsafe. He had an appendix burst. Could happen to anyone (who still has one).

Your cars supercomputer knows when to deploy the airbags and not some silly human looking at a picture.

First, there is no supercomputer in the car. Supercomputers (by today's standards) fill large rooms. Sure, the car has a couple of powerful chips in it, but nothing that exotic.

Second, the computers don't decide when to deploy the airbags. The airbag has its own sensor completely independent of all other systems based on numerous web pages such as this: Airbag - Wikipedia

 

[bigroccrek]

It does feel that OP is trying to play the angle that something's wrong with the car so he's not stuck with huge medical and car repair bills. Maybe that's not the case, I apologize if so, but it just reads that way with the way the thread title and post content was made.

Most people who passes out while driving but then able to wake up and see the car prevented a life threatening injury would be extremely grateful of the car. Be glad you were driving a Model 3 where 1) regen braking slowed the car down after you passed out, 2) automatic emergency braking likely slowed the car down even further seconds before impact, 3) car's superior crumple zone design made sure the front of the car absorbed the impact so you didn't have to. Lack of an engine like ICE cars made sure nothing got pushed into driver's cabin.

Airbags deploy only if there's enough force detected. It's pretty easy to tell from the pics that there wasn't enough force to trigger the airbags.

NO! I haven't tried to play any angles at all. Read all of the posts. I have insurance for the medical bills, and insurance for the car. Just a point of light for all of the naysayers I received a call today with the repair estimate from the Tesla approved repair facility and they remarked that they were surprised that the airbags didn't deploy. Quit trying to turn this on me, I just want to see tha data and have Tesla confirm based on the data that the car performed as designed. SHEEEESH!

 

[bigroccrek]

NO! I haven't tried to play any angles at all. Read all of the posts. I have insurance for the medical bills, and insurance for the car. Just a point of light for all of the naysayers I received a call today with the repair estimate from the Tesla approved repair facility and they remarked that they were surprised that the airbags didn't deploy. Quit trying to turn this on me, I just want to see tha data and have Tesla confirm based on the data that the car performed as designed. SHEEEESH!

And BTW I did read the Owner's Manual cover to cover!

 

[wcorey]

The cars is a very safe car, but it isn't right to say it is "absolutely" safe -- way too many variables to conclude that.
And, IMHO, there is no evidence that the driver is/was unsafe. He had an appendix burst. Could happen to anyone (who still has one).



First, there is no supercomputer in the car. Supercomputers (by today's standards) fill large rooms. Sure, the car has a couple of powerful chips in it, but nothing that exotic.

It's amazingly sad how software engineering lexicon has crept into general public, like "is it a feature or a bug". BTW, thats what I do.
You are correct, no supercomputer in your car. Supercomputers filling large rooms eh....Depends on definitions of large and super. You're probably thinking of Crays. It's not clear they even use them anymore vs massively parallel processors (think massively distributed) or non-linear chip sets. A graphics processing unit on a graphics card is capable of performing parallel streams of execution of relatively limited instructions. The car as an NVidia chip in it. 2019 those who have purchased FSD well get a Tesla Parallel Processing chip much faster than NVidia's GPU. It's either starting with AP 2 or 2.5 that the billions of driver miles had to be scrapped because they were incompatible with the 2 or 2.5 environment. So for Tesla they kind of had to start over from scratch.