Tesla with no driver crashes into parked car – report
10/23/2024 07:00 PM
The occupant of a parked car in a US shopping centre has reportedly been shocked by a Tesla hitting her vehicle – with no-one at the wheel.
A woman sitting in her parked car at a Maryland shopping centre was shocked when a Tesla reportedly drove into the side of her vehicle – causing extensive damage to both cars – with no one at the wheel.
While no injuries occurred NBC Washington reported the Tesla Model Ywas using the electric car maker's latest Summon feature when the collision happened in the shopping centre car park.
The Summon feature enables the owner of a Tesla to remotely retrieve their vehicle from a parking spot and have it drive – without anyone at the wheel – to your location.
On its website Tesla says the system should only be used in car parks and on private property – with this incident reportedly taking place in a Westfield shopping centre car park.
The roll-out of updated Summon software (version 2024.27.20) on compatible Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles began in September 2024 after a two-year delay.
Yet the Summon feature is currently in 'beta' mode – meaning it is not fully developed and may need more refinement to ensure it functions both safely and as originally intended.
"The whole concept of beta is that it's still learning – Tesla's still learning, right, and it's using these scenarios to learn from that," David Aylor, the IIHS' manager of active safety testing, told NBC Washington.
The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) is a safety body responsible for crash ratings in the US and performs a role similar to ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) in Australia.
Tesla is currently at the centre of another safety probe for its semi-autonomous technology, with the Summon feature one element of a broader system designed to enable Full Self Driving (FSD).
It came only days after the Tesla Cybercab – an autonomous taxi – was unveiled using the car maker’s FSD technology.
The (NHSTA) National Highway Traffic Safety Administrationannounced the probe in October 2024 regarding the car maker's semi-autonomous software which may impact 2.4 million vehicles.
The investigation was prompted by multiple collisions while FSD was being used on a Tesla, including a fatality in 2023.
In February 2023 Tesla was forced to recall 363,00 vehicles in the US – including Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model Y – after a number of fatal crashes and near-misses when its semi-autonomous systems were being used.
Tesla's FSD is currently not legal for use in Australia – however legislation is being drafted for its potential introduction on Tesla and vehicles from other manufacturers.
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