Tesla…the car brand synonymous with sleek design, cutting-edge technology, and, apparently, the occasional hostage situation. If you’ve ever dreamed of driving a futuristic vehicle, Tesla promises to deliver. But it turns out that in the event of an emergency, you might as well be driving a brick.
The latest fiasco.
Take the latest fiasco involving Renee Sanchez and her 20-month-old granddaughter which has been reported by the Daily Mail.
It’s a scorching Arizona morning with the excitement of a day at the Phoenix Zoo and a toddler strapped into a Tesla Model Y. But the fun day quickly turned into a nightmare when the Tesla decided it was a good time for a battery-induced siesta.
Trapped in a hot car.
Sanchez closed the door, only to discover that her state-of-the-art car had transformed into a $45,000 prison cell. Neither her phone key nor her card key could wake the beast. The battery was dead and her granddaughter was trapped in the hot car.
As the toddler’s temperature rose, Sanchez’s panic hit boiling point. She called 911, only to be met with firefighters lamenting, “Uggh, it’s a Tesla. We can’t get in these cars.”
A desperate plea.
Fantastic. Imagine needing a degree in astrophysics to open a car door. Sanchez’s plea was simple: “I don’t care if you have to cut my car in half. Just get her out.” And that’s precisely what they did – axes, shattered windows, the works.
The little girl, initially unperturbed, soon joined the chorus of cries as the firefighters went to town on the Model Y.
Another incident in Phoenix.
This debacle actually unfolded just hours after another woman was trapped in her 2021 Model Y in Phoenix. Spoiler alert: her user manual was in the glove box – locked shut, of course. Thankfully, she discovered a secret lever through the Tesla app.
The Chick-fil-A incident.
And let’s not forget the Chick-fil-A incident: Brianna Janel found herself imprisoned in her Tesla during a system update. As the internal temperature soared to 115 degrees, she was more steamed than a latte. Her TikTok video detailing the ordeal amassed over 30 million views, watching as her car reached 115 degrees before it let her out.
A tragic case.
And then there’s the tragic case of Angela Chao, Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s sister-in-law, who drowned in her Tesla SUV after it plunged into a pond on her ranch. The car,
presumably thinking it was an amphibious vehicle, locked her in. It took first responders 24 agonizing minutes to reach the site, a testament to Tesla’s “brilliant” design.
Renee Sanchez aptly summarized her experience: “When it (Tesla) works, it’s great. But when it doesn’t, it can be deadly.” Yes, that’s everything you want in your vehicle.
In the meantime, here’s a tip for all Tesla owners: keep a sledgehammer in the trunk. Because you never know when your stylish electric chariot might decide it’s done for the day.
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