NHTSA Complaint #11523229 — 2023 TESLA MODEL X

I recently traded in my 2017 Tesla Model X for a 2023 Tesla Model X. I am concerned the falcon wing doors on the 2023 Model X do not have the same safety features they did on the 2017 Model X, posing greater risk of injury and harm. My 10 year old daughter suffered a concussion when the falcon wing door opened, failed to detect her standing nearby, and hit her on the head. I brought the car into my local Tesla service center where we reproduced the behavior of the falcon wing door. I stood close to the door while a tech and sales representative observed as it hit me while it opened. However, after leaving the car with the service center to be evaluated, Tesla concluded the falcon wing doors were functioning as expected and told us it is our responsibility to stand clear of the doors and that while the doors have sensors, they do not cover all areas around the door. I escalated the claim beyond the service center to an internal Tesla engineering team and received an identical response. I am concerned that Tesla is not willing to reassess the sensor coverage of the falcon wing doors and that these doors could cause more harm. I drove a 2017 Model X for five years and never experienced a safety issue with the falcon wing doors. The doors on my previous Model X would stop if they detected the slightest obstacle. We always felt safe using them. The sensors seem to have changed on the 2023 Model X and the falcon wing doors are far less sensitive to objects and humans. This is very concerning. What is more concerning is Tesla's response indicating they don't intend to do anything about it. The falcon wing doors are heavy and automatic. They aren't manual doors that are easy to control. I believe it is Tesla's responsibility to make these doors as safe as possible and integrate complete coverage with door sensors. I am submitting this complaint in the hopes that it will result in getting Tesla to improve the safety of the falcon wing door sensor system.