Tesla investor car crash thread

[mark95476]

CyberGus: Thanks for digging that up.

I gather the valet was young with fast reaction time, had been driving constantly, and very familiar with the parking lot and still couldn't handle the Tesla's acceleration. The unfortunate new MS owner was ~60 years old.

^^^^ Pretty much exactly that is what I assume happened, only with an alcohol-slowed reaction time.

 

[JRP3]

CR was incorrect about Ford's Co-Pilot 360

 

[Knightshade]

NTSB Issues Preliminary Report on April 17 Texas Tesla (TSLA) Crash

(Updated - May 10, 2021 2:04 PM EDT) The National Transportation Safety Board issued Monday the preliminary report for its ongoing investigation of the fatal, April 17, 2021, crash of a 2019 Tesla (NASDAQ:...

www.streetinsider.com

NTSB updates info on Texas crash- autopilot unavailable in location- and camera shows driver getting into drivers seat.

 

[chronoreverse]

NTSB Issues Preliminary Report on April 17 Texas Tesla (TSLA) Crash

(Updated - May 10, 2021 2:04 PM EDT) The National Transportation Safety Board issued Monday the preliminary report for its ongoing investigation of the fatal, April 17, 2021, crash of a 2019 Tesla (NASDAQ:...

www.streetinsider.com

NTSB updates info on Texas crash- autopilot unavailable in location- and camera shows driver getting into drivers seat.

As expected, the "absolutely certain" policeman was the actual liar.

 

[Doggydogworld]

NTSB Issues Preliminary Report on April 17 Texas Tesla (TSLA) Crash

(Updated - May 10, 2021 2:04 PM EDT) The National Transportation Safety Board issued Monday the preliminary report for its ongoing investigation of the fatal, April 17, 2021, crash of a 2019 Tesla (NASDAQ:...

www.streetinsider.com

NTSB updates info on Texas crash- autopilot unavailable in location- and camera shows driver getting into drivers seat.

Actual preliminary report. No data, just Executive Summary. The fire destroyed the main storage device. They are trying to recover info from the fire-damaged restraint module which would contain seat belt info as well as stuff like vehicle speed and airbag status. Their example car would engage TACC on that street but not Autosteer. They measured 550 feet before it left the road, not sure if that includes the driveway or not.

It's not clear if the home security footage includes the entire trip down Hammock Dunes, or just the first part or just going down the driveway. It shows the driver initially getting into the driver's seat, but no one ever disputed that.

 

[CyberGus]

It shows the driver initially getting into the driver's seat, but no one ever disputed that.

Well...no one credible

 

[mark95476]

Comments:

They've had the owner's home security camera footage for how long? If the owner had camera footage, its likely the neighbors do too. This is literally snuff footage so it probably won't be released publicly.

NTSB must have tried many times to get the Model S' AP to engage, accelerate, and crash and failed miserably. Anyone that has a Tesla already knew this was more-or-less impossible.

I bet you could get 100 Model S and 100 drivers of all ages to floor it on that same stretch and get at least 99 crashes.

I think Tesla's deep-pockets are out-of-play, but the passenger's family may have a lawsuit against the driver. I'd expect a private settlement.

 

[jabloomf1230]

I think Tesla's deep-pockets are out-of-play, but the passenger's family may have a lawsuit against the driver. I'd expect a private settlement.

Whether the driver's intent was either accidental or purposeful will never be known. But what's left is grief for two families and work for some lawyers. The insurance companies also have a challenge ahead.

Automobile insurance generally excludes coverage for intentional and fraudulent acts. For example, you can't torch either your house or car and then collect on your policy. But if the incident was accidental then the exclusion usually doesn't apply. Since Tesla is apparently out of the picture, most of us here will probably not follow up on the final outcome of this incident.

 

[mark95476]

Agreed. I don't think anyone wants to go to court (bad optics if not suing Tesla) so they'll work something out if only to ensure this issue is completely settled.

The driver was a doctor and had a couple big homes in that area (likely umbrella policy, significant assets). The passenger was an investor so potentially a big loss for that family. The only two witnesses are dead, however, I doubt the passenger forced the driver to show him Ludicrous mode right there.

You ever see people racing on a drag strip? The strip is completely straight. Launching any sports car on a road with a bend or curve is a good way to crash.

Whether the driver's intent was either accidental or purposeful will never be known. But what's left is grief for two families and work for some lawyers. The insurance companies also have a challenge ahead.

Automobile insurance generally excludes coverage for intentional and fraudulent acts. For example, you can't torch either your house or car and then collect on your policy. But if the incident was accidental then the exclusion usually doesn't apply. Since Tesla is apparently out of the picture, most of us here will probably not follow up on the final outcome of this incident.

 

[mark95476]

Here's a slightly distorted and misaligned picture of the road with the bend/curve in the day.

I don't think I could make that curve at any significant speed, even after clipping the apex and driving on the opposite lane (yeah, on a blind corner at night).

 

[MP3Mike]

And now the CHP is walking back their statement about AP being in use in the recent accident there:

Officials: Tesla Autopilot probed in fatal California crash

Authorities say a Tesla involved in a deadly crash on a Southern California freeway last week may have been operating on Autopilot.

apnews.com

The CHP announced Thursday that its preliminary investigation had determined that the Tesla’s partially automated driving system called Autopilot “was engaged” prior to the crash.

However on Friday, the agency walked back its previous declaration.

“To clarify,” a new CHP statement said, “There has not been a final determination made as to what driving mode the Tesla was in or if it was a contributing factor to the crash.”

Why are they unable to keep their mouths shut until after they have completed the investigation and have the actual facts?

 

[MP3Mike]

So IF this was on AP (which is a big if because I don't understand how it can hit an object like this), the cause is undoubtedly texting. I know the FUD won't go away once Tesla starts using the in car camera to watch our eyes, but it will improve safety. No two ways about that. People need to treat AP with more respect.

A Tesla running on Autopilot smashed into a deputy's patrol vehicle in Washington state, police say, causing 'significant damage'

The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office described the crash as a reminder that Autopilot "cannot be relied upon to get you safely" to your destination.

www.businessinsider.com

As to why it can hit an object like this? The patrol car was parked on the side of the road with just the front left sticking out into the lane a little bit. The current AP has always had a problem with objects that only stick out into the lane a little bit. (Be that vehicles, bridge supports, etc.)

Hopefully the switch to Tesla Vision only, that is coming soon, will resolve this issue once and for all.

 

[MP3Mike]

Some additional facts that I didn't notice:

Article notes a "2015 Model S" - that's a Mobileye equipped car, and AP is only supposed to be used on a highway on that vehicle.

The picture of the crash scene does not appear to be on a highway.

Indeed, "103 Ave NE" would likely not be a highway. And the change to Tesla Vision wouldn't apply to this vehicle.

 

[mark95476]

Things have gotten really quiet. It's a good sign that this latest Texas story has no legs.

 

[mark95476]

I'm calling it. I don't think Tesla is on the hook here. Any settlement will be private, unless (driver) Varner's widow wants to fight (passenger) Talbot's family.

"Varner’s widow could not be reached for comment. The Houston law firm that is working with Talbot’s family declined to comment on the autopsy and police reports."

It figures that these stories were published on a Friday night just before a long weekend.

Victim of Tesla crash in Texas had alcohol level exceeding legal limit

One of the two victims of a fatal crash involving a Tesla car in Texas had a blood-alcohol level that exceeded the legal driving limit, according to an autopsy report.

www.reuters.com

Tesla Crash Victim’s Autopsy Shows Alcohol Above Legal Limit

The Tesla owner killed along with a friend last spring in a fiery crash outside Houston had almost twice his state’s legal limit of alcohol in his system, an autopsy report obtained by Bloomberg News shows.

www.bloomberg.com

 

[mark95476]

NTSB: Driver was behind wheel at time of Texas Tesla crash

A driver was behind the wheel when a Tesla electric car crashed and burned last April near Houston, killing two men, neither of whom was found in the driver’s seat

abcnews.go.com

DETROIT -- A driver was behind the wheel when a Tesla electric car crashed and burned last April near Houston, killing two men, neither of whom was found in the driver's seat.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board announced the findings in an investigative report update released Thursday on the April 17 crash on a residential road in Spring, Texas.

Although first responders found one man in the back seat and the other in the front passenger seat, the NTSB said both the driver and a passenger were in the front seats with belts buckled at the time of the crash.

The agency said the car was traveling up to 67 mph in the five seconds leading up to the crash, and the driver was accelerating. Data from the car's fire-damaged event data recorder revealed that at times, the accelerator pedal was pressed as high as 98.8%, the NTSB report said.

 

[chronoreverse]

I wonder when the people, who were making grandiose claims about how it's impossible for the passengers to end up in the back seat after a crash like that and claimed that they were some kind of expert, will make retractions.

 

[CyberGus]

I'm waiting for Consumer Reports to figure out how this is still Tesla's fault.

 

[mark95476]

Just imagine how many times Consumer Reports and other rags tried to get Tesla's AP to induce a similar crash. NTSB knew it was nigh impossible probably after a few tries. Anyone that's used AP knows it's s-l-o-w when accelerating from a stop.

NTSB managed to recover the log so they couldn't pin this on Tesla. If it wasn't a Tesla, there's no way NTSB would have bothered.

Driver was drunk?
Driving an extremely quick accelerating vehicle?
Driver was trying to impress a friend?
Driving on a road with a sharp curve?
-----------------------------------------
Normally a closed case, unless it's a Tesla

I'm waiting for Consumer Reports to figure out how this is still Tesla's fault.

I wonder when the people, who were making grandiose claims about how it's impossible for the passengers to end up in the back seat after a crash like that and claimed that they were some kind of expert, will make retractions.