A shocking incident in Pennsylvania, USA, has raised serious questions about the safety of autonomous driving systems. An American family of three barely managed to escape their Tesla car seconds before a train crossed the tracks and hit the car.
According to WFMZ, the incident occurred after the Tesla car, while in autonomous driving mode, made an unexpected left turn towards the railroad tracks. Jared Renshaw, Fire Commissioner for West Berks County, confirmed that the car was in “autonomous driving“ mode, possibly “full autonomous driving” (FSD) when it got on the tracks.
A narrow escape
Luck was on the family's side, as a few minutes after the passengers left the car, a train passed at high speed on the nearby tracks. Fortunately, the train only managed to break the Tesla's side mirror, and the passengers themselves were not injured.
A complex evacuation and fire risk
Evacuating the car from the railway tracks proved to be a complex task. Despite the relatively minor damage, the Tesla had to be lifted by crane. This was due to concerns that attempting to remove it could damage the highly flammable lithium-ion battery. Such damage can lead to extremely hot flames that require huge amounts of water to extinguish.
The fire chief commented: “We have had accidents with Tesla cars, but no one has ever told us that the vehicle was in autonomous mode when it happened.“
Growing concerns about the safety of electric vehicles
Battery fires pose the biggest risk in collisions with electric vehicles. Situations that would result in non-fatal physical injuries to an ordinary car owner can become a "crematorium" for the driver and passengers of a Tesla. In addition, extinguishing such fires is extremely difficult.
This incident highlights the need for stricter control and testing of autonomous driving systems, as well as a better understanding of the risks associated with electric vehicle batteries, especially in extreme situations.