Sudden acceleration incident in Kitchener!

[McFlurri]

Vehicle crashes through Kitchener store window

Model S crashed into the Shopper Drug Mart near my house.

I was at work (drive city bus), when a coworker mentioned this. I thought they were just teasing me just saying it was a Tesla.. but ill be damned..

My own personal photo from early this morning

I like how the CTV article doesn't immediately blame Autopilot or Tesla. Clearly the driver hit the accelerator rather than the brake.

 

[deonb]

But wow, you got to be impressed with those brakes that prevented it from hitting that security guard just in time!

 

[03DSG]

I blame some of these specific incidents on ‘Creep - OFF’.

For the 48 years I’ve been driving (legally... I ride the brake pedal when coming to a stop, pulling into a parking space or garage etc. Then when it’s time I just apply more pressure to the pedal I’m already riding to come to a complete stop.

With Creep - OFF I would be riding the accelerator in the same circumstances to keep the car moving ahead slowly. It then requires a ‘pedal change’ to come to a complete stop. What I haven’t been doing for 48 years.........

 

[Sgutz]

The title of this thread is total click bait. It was only “sudden acceleration” because some dumb driver stepped on the wrong pedal. Why would CTV blame Tesla for this? Do they call Ford or GM every time some driver does something stupid with a Focus or Malibu? When a car is largely a software platform, people sure love to blame driver stupidity on the car. The fact that this involved a Tesla is irrelevant. Maybe we should blame every car accident on the tires since every car has those - clearly they must be the problem.

And why would you even mention autopilot? This was a parked car in a lot, so any autopilot discussion is just misleading. Ironically, when I was searching for the original news story I found several other ICE cars sticking out of buildings too, but they didnt get a headline because they weren’t Teslas.

I agree with 03DSG, I keep Creep on all the time, since it gives some indication which direction you’re moving and is slow enough to offer some precision. At least if you screw up you’re pressing the right pedal.

 

[McFlurri]

The title of this thread is total click bait. It was only “sudden acceleration” because some dumb driver stepped on the wrong pedal. Why would CTV blame Tesla for this? Do they call Ford or GM every time some driver does something stupid with a Focus or Malibu? When a car is largely a software platform, people sure love to blame driver stupidity on the car. The fact that this involved a Tesla is irrelevant. Maybe we should blame every car accident on the tires since every car has those - clearly they must be the problem.

And why would you even mention autopilot? This was a parked car in a lot, so any autopilot discussion is just misleading. Ironically, when I was searching for the original news story I found several other ICE cars sticking out of buildings too, but they didnt get a headline because they weren’t Teslas.

I agree with 03DSG, I keep Creep on all the time, since it gives some indication which direction you’re moving and is slow enough to offer some precision. At least if you screw up you’re pressing the right pedal.

You need to chill...

The title is not click bait.

My point on CTV not blaming Tesla is a dig at literally every other media publication constantly blaming Tesla for the faults of the drivers. (Typically US media outlets). I mentioned Autopilot because that's usually the first thing the media jumps to with ANY crash involving a Tesla.

This was not a parked car in a lot FYI. The driver stated that they were attempting to put the vehicle in park (pulling into the disabled parking spaces in the front of the store), when the vehicle suddenly accelerated (by what I am assuming is Pedal Misapplication)

 

[mahagala]

turn CREEP to ON would most likely avoid this kind of accident...

 

[Sgutz]

If this wasn’t a click bait title it would have been “Confused driver steps on accelerator and plows into a store”. Brand of car shouldn’t even be a concern. FWIW the CTV story did conclude with “Tesla was unavailable for comment”. If there wasn’t some implied blame why would CTV even contact the manufacturer? Would they have done that if was a Ford?

My point is that it wasn’t sudden acceleration as a result of an issue with the car as is implied by the title. My guess is that the lady thought she put it in Park but didn’t and then as she was shuffling out of the car probably stepped on the accelerator. With Creep turned on it probably would have been apparent to her that the car wasn’t in Park - hence one of the reasons I turn it on.

Thankfully the car didn’t catch fire or the ICE dudes would have been all over this story

 

[mrElbe]

"shuffling out of the car" would have meant that the door was open to exit. As soon as the door opens, the Tesla goes into Park position.

 

[Doug_G]

Seatbelt off and weight off the seat are required before the car will shut down. I don’t think door open even matters.

 

[wayner]

I have driven my Model S for 3.5 years with Creep mode off without a problem. Do we even know how Creep Mode was set on this vehicle? This is a case of pilot error.

 

[mknox]

I have driven my Model S for 3.5 years with Creep mode off without a problem. Do we even know how Creep Mode was set on this vehicle? This is a case of pilot error.

Me too... actually 5+ years. "Creep" is just a side effect of a torque converter on an ICE automatic transmission... not something anyone would have designed in intentionally if they had any choice. I think Tesla added the switch simply because people who came from automatic transmission cars were used to it, not because of any benefit. Manual transmissions never had any kind of "creep" capability after all.

 

[Eco Capitalist]

Me too... actually 5+ years. "Creep" is just a side effect of a torque converter on an ICE automatic transmission... not something anyone would have designed in intentionally if they had any choice. I think Tesla added the switch simply because people who came from automatic transmission cars were used to it, not because of any benefit. Manual transmissions never had any kind of "creep" capability after all.

Creep is the unintentional feature I liked about automatics, but until my Tesla, all my cars were stick. The manual transmission required the driver to be more involved. A mistake with a manual usually resulted in grinding gears or stalling the vehicle, not plowing through a store window.

I think creep is a useful tool to help ICE drivers make the jump to driving electric; I'm happy that Tesla puts it there AND gives the user the choice to enable it. Choice is good.

 

[mknox]

Choice is good.

Indeed. It's nice to have the option.

 

[CRASHER]

Creep is the unintentional feature I liked about automatics, but until my Tesla, all my cars were stick. The manual transmission required the driver to be more involved. A mistake with a manual usually resulted in grinding gears or stalling the vehicle, not plowing through a store window.

I think creep is a useful tool to help ICE drivers make the jump to driving electric; I'm happy that Tesla puts it there AND gives the user the choice to enable it. Choice is good.

I started driving stick where there were no auto. First time I drove automatic I thought that car clutch is worn out hence it is not disengaging. Even had habit of shifting to neutral as I hate the creep.
Thanks Tesla so I can disable the creep.

 

[Zythryn]

I blame some of these specific incidents on ‘Creep - OFF’.

...

I don’t believe this is the case. I’ve been driving with no creep for 6 years and find it much more precise.
Could you be correct, sure. To support your position, I’d love to see some statistics on how frequently Tesla’s are involved in these types of accidents vs other cars.

 

[Ichooseluna]

Nice...

 

[Harrta]

My 3 doesn't regen to a complete stop so I have to move my foot to the brake at every stop, I assumed this was done for that reason. The only way I could unintentionally accelerate would be stopping up hill.

 

[Cirrus MS100D]

Too many times have I seen an instance where creep ON is worse:

Specifically, the lip of a garage that is just a tad bit too tall for the car to get over on its own via creep, but once you get it over the lip using the accelerator, now you’ve GOT to immediately jump on the brakes or else it starts moving forwards “on its own.” With creep off, you can gingerly edge it up and over the lip onto flat ground and the car barely moves beyond that spot; no need for immediate and instant braking.

#creepoff5evalyfe

 

[Buggle]

Press the brake again/hard to activate hold mode, and creep becomes irrelevant.

 

[RefreshedP]

Vehicle crashes through Kitchener store window


I was at work (drive city bus), when a coworker mentioned this. I thought they were just teasing me just saying it was a Tesla.. but ill be damned..

My own personal photo from early this morning
View attachment 313732

I like how the CTV article doesn't immediately blame Autopilot or Tesla. Clearly the driver hit the accelerator rather than the brake.

Hmmmm... Me to. Can you get Peter to install a charge station in Cambridge and kw please. Thanks