A Tesla Model 3 drove away from a charging station in Austin without the cable being disconnected from the Supercharger. The car traveled only a few meters before stopping, but the cable was torn out, leaving the driver standing in front of the damaged station. The incident was recorded during Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend and is the first public video of the accidental activation of the new Emergency Drive Away feature.
The dark blue Model 3 was recorded by another Tesla that was charging in the adjacent space. The video shows the driver pressing buttons on the central display, after which the car drives away while still connected to the charging unit. After realizing his mistake, the driver got out of the car and held his head.
The feature was added through a software update for Tesla vehicles in the United States. It allows the driver to leave a Supercharger in an emergency without first disconnecting the cable. When it is activated, warning messages appear on the screen, and the driver must confirm the choice. Tesla warns that Emergency Drive Away is intended solely for emergencies. If used improperly, both the vehicle and the charging station may be damaged. According to the information available, repairs to a Supercharger can cost up to $25,000, and the vehicle must be inspected at a service center because of possible damage to the charging port.
The company also warns of additional penalties for intentional misuse. It has not been specified how much they will be, or whether such a penalty will be imposed in this particular case. The video was posted by a Tesla owner who said he heard a loud noise while charging early in the morning before the race. “I really felt sorry for the man,” he wrote, noting that the driver appeared tired and had probably gone through the warnings without reading them.
He suggested that Tesla add more visible safeguards against accidentally pressing the confirmation button: flashing the entire screen red and emitting a loud sound. In his view, this would make accidental activation more difficult without blocking the feature in a genuine emergency.