A TESLA on autopilot has caused a devastating smash after plowing into a parked minivan sitting in a man’s driveway.
Shocking video of the horror smash shows the Tesla hitting the minivan with enough force to shatter the rear windshield and send it careening through an open garage door.
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The homeowner, who asked to remain anonymous, narrowly avoided catastrophe, saying he was standing just a few feet away at the open garage door when he heard the deafening sound of the crash.
He was planting seedlings when the crash occurred, reported ABC local affiliate WABC-TV.
“I was sitting in the grade doing the last set of lines. When I heard this bang,” he said.
“When I came up, my feet were underneath the van.”
Despite the shock, the homeowner avoided injury as the minivan was pushed into the garage and damaging the side of the house from the impact.
According to the footage, the Tesla attempted to turn off a main road and onto a narrow side street but misjudged the maneuver.
The footage, taken from inside the car, shows its sensors detecting an approaching white SUV.
The autopilot system, trying to avoid a head-on collision, accelerated straight into the driveway.
“They were negotiating a turn, to turn into a very narrow street. When they turned, they were essentially facing another vehicle head-on,” said South Brunswick Police Detective Sergeant Tim Hoover.
“The car reacted to avoid the head-on collision and ended up accelerating straight into a residential driveway.”
The incident took place in South Brunswick, New Jersey, about an hour south of New York City.
Authorities believe the autopilot system may have mistaken the driveway for a street while trying to avoid the oncoming SUV.
The driver was ticketed for careless driving.
“In the state of New Jersey, even if you have a fully automatic function on your vehicles, your Teslas, or anything that can drive on autopilot. You still have to take due regard to drive with caution,” Hoover said.
Tesla attacks
A series of attacks have targeted Tesla showrooms and vehicles starting in early 2025.
The FBI has started investigating the attacks as potential domestic terrorism.
The recent attacks have been linked to people protesting CEO Elon Musk and his work in Donald Trump’s administration.
Some of the attacks include:
- January 20 and February 19 – Tesla dealership in Salem, Oregon, attacked with Molotov cocktails and gunfire
- March 3 – Seven Tesla charging stations set on fire near Boston
- March 9 – Four Cybertrucks burned in a parking lot in Seattle, Washington
- March 18 – A Tesla service center is set on fire with Molotov cocktails in Las Vegas
- March 24 – Multiple bombs found inside a Tesla showroom in Texas
Source: CSIS
TESLA ACCIDENTS
Tesla came under federal investigation in 2024 after several crashes involving its self-driving system in fog, glare, and other low-visibility conditions.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched the probe after at least four crashes, including one that killed a pedestrian and another that left someone injured.
Roughly 2.4 million Teslas from model years 2016 to 2024 were covered under the review.
The system may struggle to detect hazards like sun glare, airborne dust, or fog.
Tesla relies only on cameras, unlike rivals that use radar or lidar to help in poor conditions.
The administration also checked if software updates impacted how the system reacts when visibility is limited.
NHTSA also ended a separate probe into Autopilot, which began in 2021 after 11 Teslas hit parked emergency vehicles, PBS reported.
That investigation found 467 Autopilot-related crashes, 54 injuries, and 14 deaths.
Autopilot is a high-tech cruise control, while “Full Self-Driving” is meant to drive without human help.
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