Two die after Tesla 'on auto-pilot with no one in driving seat' crashes into tree and starts massive four-hour fire that took 32,000 GALLONS of water to extinguish

UK Daily Mail ^ | 04/18/2021 | Rory Tingle

[DFG]

Two men died after a Tesla 'on autopilot with no one driving' crashed into a tree in Houston before starting a huge fire that took 32,000 gallons of water to extinguish.

The fully-electric 2019 Tesla Model S slammed into the tree in Carlton Woods at around 11.25pm on Saturday night before bursting into flames with the passengers still inside.

Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said an investigation had found that 'no one was driving' when the accident happened, with one man sitting in the passenger seat at the front and the second sitting in the back.

Officials told KPRC 2 that the $80,000 vehicle was moving at high speed when it failed to negotiate a cul-de-sac turn, ran off the road and crashed.

[luv2ski]

They were 59 and 69 so old enough to know better.

[EVO X]

An acquaintance with a Tesla was going to show me it’s auto pilot feature by calling it over from across the parking lot. I begged him not to do it.

I was thinking before I saw your post, why does Tesla allow the car to be operated with no one siting in the drivers seat? Evidently, the reason is the self parking feature won't work.

[The Pack Knight]

Virtually every car sold today has a sensor in the passenger seat that enables the passenger airbag and gives you an annoying ding when the seat belt isn't fastened.

I have a hard time believing Teslas do not has a sensor that disables the autopilot when no one is sitting in the driver's seat. If they don't, that sounds like a pretty good products liability case.

[The Pack Knight]

My guess, based on the time of night, is that they were drunk and, in their impaired state, thought they were being responsible by having the car drive them home.

[Vaquero]

Virtually every car sold today has a sensor in the passenger seat that enables the passenger airbag and gives you an annoying ding when the seat belt isn't fastened

I bought seatbelt extenders for my Ram 1500. Just 4” long they plug into the seatbelt socket. Makes it easier to connect the seatbelt and when I'm futzing around off road I don't have to hear that annoying ‘ding...ding’. Also good for when I just don't feel like I need the thing to go get a coffee around the corner at 7-11.