Irritated Tesla owner in China protests at motor show, claiming faulty brakes



Ah, the return of the incredibly dissatisfied owners throwing a tantrum in China. It was just the first day of the Auto Shanghai 2021 motor show and an eager owner has taken the opportunity to let the nation know about her experience with Tesla.

In a report by Bloomberg, an owner of a Tesla Model 3 stood atop the roof of a Tesla car at the brand’s booth to show her displeasure with characters translated to “Brake Lost Control” written across her white T-shirt.

A team of security personnel surrounded the woman and used umbrellas to try to conceal her message. However, she whacked them away, repeatedly yelling “Tesla brake lost control” before being dragged and escorted out.

The woman claims the braking system of her Model 3 failed and four of her family members were almost killed in an accident, Shine News reported last month. However, Tesla said data gathered from the vehicle showed the car was travelling at almost 120 km/h and both braking and emergency warning systems had functioned properly.

Representatives from Tesla said the company has been in contact with the owner before her public display, with the automaker offering several solutions but she insisted on returning the Model 3 while refusing to have an independent check-up.

Location of the fatal accident in Texas, USA, shared in various social media pages

In another news related to Tesla, which is more sombre and tragic, two occupants were reported killed after their Model S crashed into a tree and caught fire in Texas, USA. According to the news report by Reuters, initial investigations by the local police revealed that there was no occupant at the driver’s seat, with one occupant at the front passenger seat and another at the rear.

Screen capture from Tesla’s promotional video on Full Self-Driving

It is believed that the occupants were trying out Tesla’s Autopilot autonomous driving system, but the system failed to navigate a bend, which Tesla chief Elon Musk claiming the function wasn’t turn on or had the Full Self-Driving feature installed.

We must always be alert while behind the wheel, as the driving assist systems are merely to assist in anticipating danger and prevent possible collisions. The driver must still be fully focused on the operation of the vehicle, eyes on the road plus frequent checks in the mirror for rearward information.