Model X head injury

[Jane nz]

I went to the San Diego University town centre shopping mall in July and my husband spotted the Tesla store with the new Model X inside! We were in San Diego on holiday from New Zealand on our first day so quite exciting as there are no Tesla stores down here.
We went into the store and wandered around the Model X. There was a lady buyer in the drivers seat with the salesman so we just looked about.
I went the rear of the car and looked in. Suddenly out of the blue, the power tailgate started to close and I didn't see it. The salesman had suggested to the lady buyer she push the tailgate button,and Lo and behold, it came down with some powerful speed!
It hit me square on the head with a bang and pushed me down with force. My husband grabbed me and tried to push the very heavy tailgate back up, with little joy.
I suffered whiplash and very sore eyes afterwards - on my return to New Zealand two weeks later I had to attend the eye specialist with raised eye pressure. He had never seen a Tesla injury obviously.
So I am a 5ft 3 mum - the lady buyer who pushed the button did not see me at all.
So my questions:
Why is there no sensor on the tailgate to stop injuries?
Why is the button to close the tailgate not on the tailgate like my Mercedes? This enables the person operating it to check the area is clear.
Is this car safe for children? What if a child pops their school bag in and then reaches back in to grab a tennis raquet? Will they be squashed in half by their own mother?
Tesla???

 

[commasign]

There are buttons on the tailgate, one above the license plate to open the tailgate and one on the bottom of the tailgate to close it. The tailgate does stop when it detects resistance. The functionality of the tailgate (including the ability to open and close it from the front of the car or via the keyfob) is no different than any other SUV or minivan. Same thing could have happened with a Honda, Toyota, etc., It's unfortunate that you were injured in this accident, but this isn't anything Tesla specific.

 

[deonb]

You may have been struck at a very unfortunate angle. The Tesla tailgate is very sensitive to resistance and will reverse direction for almost nothing - annoyingly so. Gone are the days of throwing an extra pillow on top of the luggage and having the trunk close down on it and compress it. It certainly wont squash a child.

But hitting you at a 45 degree angle when it comes down - different story.

 

[OzSimon]

Yeah I have had the same issue with my Lexus when the tailgate came down, glancing my head. It's auto stop is sensitive but the glancing blow was not detected, even though it felt strong to me!

 

[electricity]

Just like any other car when opening and closing doors. Be careful.

 

[GoTzillaR]

We tested it out as well. Unfortunately, model x is not as sensitive as MB GL, BMW X5, and Audi Q7.

 

[Shumdit]

As mentioned before every SUV I can't think of in recent memory I have driven that has a power hatch also has a way for the driver to open/close it. This is not abnormal. It does reverse on my Model S when it senses resistance but I guess it would be able to "hit" you if you were not expecting it.

 

[Saghost]

There are four or five ways to close the rear hatch, including the center screen, the fob, and a button on the hatch itself.

It probably doesn't help in situations like yours, but the car makes a distinct warning beep before closing the hatch that any owner or child thereof would quickly learn to recognize.

I'm not sure why the impact detection didn't work for you - the car does have it, and even moves away from a detected impact a little.

 

[Hitman007]

Do you have free healthcare in New Zealand? In the US that would have been several thousands of dollars in treatment. The doctors here are allowed to charge ridiculous high prices so they can make their Tesla payments...

 

[Rob_B]

I was in the same store a few weeks ago, standing on the left side of the Model X, when the driver's door began to close, under power. At that moment, a small boy hopped out of the vehicle from the left gullwing door opening, with his mom just behind him. I reached out to try to stop the driver's door from whacking him on the head. It all happened so quickly, I think he was just lucky to have missed the door--by perhaps an inch or two. I don't think anyone else realized how close he came to getting bashed in the head. I'm not sure how any configuration of sensors would have prevented this, but it might be worth some consideration.

 

[No2DinosaurFuel]

I would die the lady. At least she has to pay you medical bills.

EDIT sorry auto correct;
sue*

 

[ohmman]

I would die the lady.

Well, that escalated.

 

[3s-a-charm]

Fault in this case is a human error not a machine error. The person closing or the person suggesting to close should have been more aware/cautious and the person looking in the back (you) could also be aware that in a crowd someone may push a button to close the tailgate. The car isnt to blame here, neither is Tesla (other than perhaps the employee).

 

[K-MTG]

Tomorrow's headline: Tesla Hatch - Modern Day Guillotine

I got hit on the head before with the hatch, it hurt for like 15 seconds, maybe it was the angle. Elon can probably calculate the angle since he is a physicist

 

[Jane nz]

Thank you all for your comments!
A few responses to everyone:
1. Yes I was hit on the head at an angle as it hit the top of my forehead. It pushed my head back at an angle.
2. I certainly didn't notice a button on the tailgate as was somewhat concussed afterwards but if there is a inside dash button, people will use it.
3. The sensors certainly didn't work and my 6ft2, 100kg husband was trying to push the tailgate back up and pull me out of the way at the same time.
4. After the accident the lady buyer buyer came over and apologised profusely - she didn't go out that day intending to knock out another 40-something mom!
5. After the accident, the store salesmen admitted they had already deactivated the gull wing doors no doubt due to previous accidents as per Rob B's comment above. But not the tailgate.
6. Interesting that a number of you go immediately to who is to blame. In New Zealand we have an amazing system called Accident Compensation Corporation. This has been in place since 1972 and works very simply. Everyone pays a tiny amount of tax to the government and they run the ACC system. It is a no blame system so you cannot sue anyone for an accident. Because as we know everyone has accidents and most are exactly that - just an accident. However in return, all health costs are completely covered for FREE. For everyone, no matter whether rich or poor. Tax Payer or not. Works perfectly and Healthcare is therefore not really an issue here.
So it is an incredible system and saves a lot of paperwork and angst. The lawyers are not rich nor the doctors but they do OK!
7. K-MTG - Modern day Guillotine is exactly what I felt like - very witty!

So the answer is not a blame question but a resolution question - is the Tesla Model X suitable for a family where kids are running around it and acting impulsively? Can you avoid someone in a mall carpark walking behind you whilst you shut the tailgate? Can you expect total strangers to know how the car operates with it's unusual doors when they are used to ordinary car doors? It is not like any other car.
I admire Tesla's brave attempt to go outside the square and prior to my accident thought they were amazing but not the expense of my children or a stranger.
So until the inside dash/sensor system is absolutely perfect - can Tesla just stick to a tailgate button?

 

[Electric700]

Thank you all for your comments!
A few responses to everyone:
1. Yes I was hit on the head at an angle as it hit the top of my forehead. It pushed my head back at an angle.
2. I certainly didn't notice a button on the tailgate as was somewhat concussed afterwards but if there is a inside dash button, people will use it.
3. The sensors certainly didn't work and my 6ft2, 100kg husband was trying to push the tailgate back up and pull me out of the way at the same time.
4. After the accident the lady buyer buyer came over and apologised profusely - she didn't go out that day intending to knock out another 40-something mom!
5. After the accident, the store salesmen admitted they had already deactivated the gull wing doors no doubt due to previous accidents as per Rob B's comment above. But not the tailgate.
6. Interesting that a number of you go immediately to who is to blame. In New Zealand we have an amazing system called Accident Compensation Corporation. This has been in place since 1972 and works very simply. Everyone pays a tiny amount of tax to the government and they run the ACC system. It is a no blame system so you cannot sue anyone for an accident. Because as we know everyone has accidents and most are exactly that - just an accident. However in return, all health costs are completely covered for FREE. For everyone, no matter whether rich or poor. Tax Payer or not. Works perfectly and Healthcare is therefore not really an issue here.
So it is an incredible system and saves a lot of paperwork and angst. The lawyers are not rich nor the doctors but they do OK!
7. K-MTG - Modern day Guillotine is exactly what I felt like - very witty!

So the answer is not a blame question but a resolution question - is the Tesla Model X suitable for a family where kids are running around it and acting impulsively? Can you avoid someone in a mall carpark walking behind you whilst you shut the tailgate? Can you expect total strangers to know how the car operates with it's unusual doors when they are used to ordinary car doors? It is not like any other car.
I admire Tesla's brave attempt to go outside the square and prior to my accident thought they were amazing but not the expense of my children or a stranger.
So until the inside dash/sensor system is absolutely perfect - can Tesla just stick to a tailgate button?

Sorry to see you had an accident, especially during your first visit to a Tesla store! Try not to hold this against them. As part of a software update, they should be able to activate only the tailgate button as a default until they resolve the sensor issues. For owners who want full functionality, they can change it back using the settings.

 

[Krugerrand]

So the answer is not a blame question but a resolution question - is the Tesla Model X suitable for a family where kids are running around it and acting impulsively?

Example: Kids get their fingers caught in *family* vehicle doors allllllllllllllllllll the time. All the time. Like every single day, all the time. Like even as adults we sometimes close the doors on ourselves or on our family members. Vehicles are dangerous. And when we actually turn them on and move them - LOOK OUT!

So until the inside dash/sensor system is absolutely perfect - can Tesla just stick to a tailgate button?

Um...no. Why? Because one day you'll come on here and complain that there's only one way to open and close the tailgate and why can't Tesla put a button where all other Mfgs put buttons for multiple ways to open and close the tailgate.

I'm sorry you were hurt. Very unfortunate accident and I hope you feel better soon, but you're being unreasonable and a bit of a fear monger right now.

 

[EV-lutioin]

I love New Zealand, they have unattended trampolines in public playgrounds, presumably because of the ACC system mentioned by Jane nz. As to the lift gate and doors, they can hit you, but generally it is gentle bump. As with all doors, you have to be careful (how many people slam their fingers in traditional doors!?). The one-click fob function is particularly insidious, however, it is one of my favorite features, so I have learned to be aware of the fob in my pocket when in harm's way. Live and learn, I suppose.

 

[OzSimon]

Lexus have the inside dash button....

 

[Darryl]

Both my wife and I have been hit by the tailgate on our Model X. The first time I had my Tesla Key Fob in my pants pocket and I was putting stuff in the trunk when the trunk started to close. Obviously the fob had pressed again my pants pocket. The force was considerable.

So I stopped putting my keys in my pocket and clipped them to my belt loop. The the same problem happened again this time my wife was putting stuff in the trunk and I was carrying my cooler to the car. The key fob pressed against the cooler. The tailgate knocked her to the ground.

This is not a Tesla problem but is a problem. I can see there being injuries without addition safeguards. Maybe sensors like there are with a garage door.

Where the tailgate force may not be great for the general community it is an issue for the aged, frail individuals or the young. With all the smarts the Model X has you think they could solve this problem.