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Driver Says His Tesla Car Computer Froze at 83 MPH on Freeway

stynes

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I agree there's some exaggeration there but if I understand correctly, it says he couldn't accelerate. So I don't read it as - oh, just the screens weren't working. It was more than that. And while on one hand, yes, ICE vehicles break down all the time, and that sounds like essentially what happened here, I wonder if regen was still working and if or how that impacted the driver's ability to pull over. In an ICE vehicle you'd have quite the runway to coast at that speed. Maybe the driver didn't here and that increased the sense of panic.
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ajdelange

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I've had my Model Y screen go blank while in a parking lot. Car was still perfectly driveable. I just parked and reset it twice and it was back to normal.
I used to joke that you could always spot a Tesla driver at a party. He was the guy with calluses on each of his thumbs.
 

bhopkins

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So, I’ve had my screens blank out at highway speed in my Tesla. As others have said, no big deal, just do a two-button reboot and all is well. What I saw on the news when he was interviewed is that he couldn’t accelerate. I’m assuming he had cruise control on which is why the car maintained speed. He did indicate that he steered to the shoulder and the brakes worked. So, much ado about nothing. If it weren’t a Tesla or an EV, it wouldn’t have made national news.
 

Mcdubjr

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This is far less dangerous than a blown tire on the freeway. Nothing to see here.
 

dduffey

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Here is a video https://abc7.com/tesla-model-3-car-freezes-while-driving-la-drivers-freezing/11743278/

It appears to me autopilot (cruise) continued to work until driver pressed the brakes (as expected). To me it appears the car accelerates past the semi when using the accelerator (as expected). There is nothing in the video that supports any claims about accelerator not working or blinkers not working. He never interacts with the drive stalk or speed control wheel except to press park when stopped (or that could be an outtake as well, several obvious time splits and video cuts).

Just like the driver claims the car was "stuck at speed" because the screen was frozen the accelerator also "did not work" to make the screen unfreeze, but accelerator probably was also still working as a go pedal.

Instead driver called the police, recorded a video that doesn't show ANY evidence except for a frozen screen and that braking and steering still worked, infotainment system rebooted on its own "and everything started working" (everything==infotainment) but still had the car towed and then called news outlet(s) to do interviews.

It would have been more dangerous for a blinker bulb to temporarily go out (because the blinkers probably didn't in this case), call the police, tow truck, etc. Then demand a better explanation than a repair report that said "poor fuse connector caused intermittent lose of signals, replaced fuse."

Driver wanted to make a story (called the police? How did they "help" him?) and MM ran with it.

It's hilarious to me to think if the police helped him by suggesting to try the brakes. "What if I slow down and can't make a story?!??!" ...

911 operator: "Chief, some guy called in and said his car is stuck at 83 mph, sounded distressed. I asked if his brakes work and he said he didn't know because he hasn't tried to slow down."
Chief: "???"
911 operator: "Sometime I will tell you about the Grandma that called in and reported a crash that took out everything. It turned out her computer crashed."

Driver should be fined for wasting police time. (We pay police fees for just having a house alarm that _might_ be used).

Both my 3 (maybe once or twice in 4 years) and my wife's Y (once) had similar infotainment issues while driving. Rare, but it happens ... I've had more flats than infotainment issues.
 
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the long way downunder

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Yikes! Let's hope that Rivian has better error handling and watchdogs!

A new Tesla Model 3 owner faced quite the predicament while driving on a freeway last Thursday when he says his car’s main computer features froze up, leaving him with an unresponsive main screen and a car stuck going 83 miles per hour. The screen froze and numerous buttons and switches, like turn signals and hazard lights, stopped working, Javier Rodriguez said. The brakes continued to function but the accelerator stopped responding.
...
He said Tesla issued a repair report stating they had “diagnosed and found poor communication from charge port door causing power conversion system to shut off in order to protect on board components during drive.”
"system to shut off in order to protect on board components during drive"
During drive.
So glad the computer protected itself.
 

sub

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The speed limit on most highways in California 65 MPH or less, so 83 was likely 18 mph (or more) over the limit which is likely enough to put them at risk of a reckless driving charge.

Personally, if bad things happened while I was driving recklessly I would avoid documenting it and discussing it with the media/police.
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