NHTSA Complaint #10810457 — 2015 TESLA MODEL S

ON THE AFTERNOON OF NOVEMBER 25, 2015, I WAS DRIVING INTO A STRIP MALL PARKING LOT. I WAS GOING TO PULL INTO ONE OF THOSE SPACES WHERE YOU CAN PARK PERPENDICULAR TO A SIDEWALK CURB AND THE SIDEWALK LEADS UP TO THE STORE FRONTS. WHEN APPROACHING THE PARKING SPACE, THE CAR WAS ALREADY IN REGENERATIVE BRAKING MODE, AND ACCORDING TO TESLA'S LOGS, THE CAR SLOWED DOWN TO 3.5 MPH. SINCE THE CAR HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO ROLL INTO THE SPACE ON ITS OWN, MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR OR THE BRAKE PEDAL. MY FOOT WAS UP RESTING ON ITS HEEL, READY TO TAP THE BRAKE WHEN IT GOT CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE CURB. WHILE THE CAR WAS COASTING INTO THE SPACE THE MOTOR WAS VERY QUIET. ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HEARD A 'WHIRRING' SOUND FROM THE MOTOR. I DON'T KNOW HOW BETTER TO DESCRIBE IT, THAN TO SAY IT WAS ALMOST LIKE THE MOTOR WENT FROM A STATE OF SLUMBER TO A FULL STATE OF AWARENESS. I BELIEVE THE MOTOR WAS 'WHIRRING' LOUDLY FOR ABOUT A SECOND BEFORE THE CAR TOOK OFF AT SUCH A FAST PACE AND WOUND UP HITTING A BRICK WALL. IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY TIME TO REACT. AFTER THE IMPACT, I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED UNTIL I OPENED MY EYES AND SAW THE DEFLATED AIRBAGS IN THE CAR. IT LOOKED LIKE THE CAR JUMPED THE CURB, HIT THE BRICK WALL, BOUNCED BACKWARDS FROM THE IMPACT AND LANDED BACK INTO THE PARKING SPACE. ACCORDING TO TESLA'S LOGS, THE DATA READS THAT THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED DOWN TO 97% AND THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS DUE TO DRIVER ERROR. I STAND FIRMLY BY MY STATEMENT THAT MY FOOT WAS NOT ON EITHER THE ACCELERATOR OR THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN THE CAR ACCELERATED. DATA MAY SHOW THERE WAS PEDAL DEPRESSION BUT I DID NOT DO THE DEPRESSING. THIS WAS DUE TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION BY THE CAR.