Photo: CarNewsChina
Last week, a Tesla Model 3 crashed into an overpass in Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan province. The impact was very brutal, destroying the entire front section of the vehicle. Unfortunately, the Tesla also impacted an electric bicycle in the process, sending its rider to the hospital. Meanwhile, the driver of the EV walked away unscathed.
Why the crash took place to begin with is still unknown, although CarNewsChina reports that local authorities believe driver error may have been at fault: “Due to improper operation, the vehicle lost control and collided with the electric bicycle.”
Improper operation does sound like something the driver would be responsible for—the human element, so to speak. But without an official inquiry, it’s impossible to say who’s to blame and in exacly what capacity.
In terms of damage, the Tesla’s front fascia disintegrating the way it did is nothing new. In fact, it’s part of the car’s passive safety capabilities where the front-end crumples up as much as possible to absorb the shock of a collision. The driver was really lucky not to have been hurt by that railing that smashed through the windshield, though.
Even with cars as advanced as the Tesla Model 3, accidents can still happen. Sure, you have a bundle of driver-assistance systems designed to keep you out of trouble, but there’s no such thing as foolproof in this industry, at least not yet. Generally speaking, though, the Model 3 aced both its IIHS and Euro NCAP tests, so rest assured that driving a Tesla means driving a very safe automobile.
Of course, if you’re wondering what happened to this Model 3’s lane-keeping tech or its emergency braking system, know that those are some very valid questions. So, if the driver really was at fault, they may have made some really poor choices in the moments leading up to the crash.
Improper operation does sound like something the driver would be responsible for—the human element, so to speak. But without an official inquiry, it’s impossible to say who’s to blame and in exacly what capacity.
In terms of damage, the Tesla’s front fascia disintegrating the way it did is nothing new. In fact, it’s part of the car’s passive safety capabilities where the front-end crumples up as much as possible to absorb the shock of a collision. The driver was really lucky not to have been hurt by that railing that smashed through the windshield, though.
Even with cars as advanced as the Tesla Model 3, accidents can still happen. Sure, you have a bundle of driver-assistance systems designed to keep you out of trouble, but there’s no such thing as foolproof in this industry, at least not yet. Generally speaking, though, the Model 3 aced both its IIHS and Euro NCAP tests, so rest assured that driving a Tesla means driving a very safe automobile.
Of course, if you’re wondering what happened to this Model 3’s lane-keeping tech or its emergency braking system, know that those are some very valid questions. So, if the driver really was at fault, they may have made some really poor choices in the moments leading up to the crash.
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