What Happened to Tesla?
2 Answers
4·19 Tesla Owner Rights Protection Incident. The following is the extended content: On April 19, 2021, at the Shanghai Auto Show, an owner wearing a T-shirt with the words "Brake Failure" stood on the roof of a Tesla to protest. In the afternoon of the 19th, Tesla China Vice President Tao Lin responded to the protest incident: Tesla cannot compromise. On the morning of the 20th, the official Weibo of the Qingpu Branch of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau issued a notice stating: "Tesla Auto Show Protest" involved a woman named Zhang who was given five days of administrative detention for disturbing public order, and Li was given an administrative warning for the same reason. On the morning of the 25th, Zhang's administrative detention period ended, and she was released. On April 20, 2021, the Zhengzhou Market Supervision Bureau responded to the "rooftop protest": Tesla refused to provide driving data. On the evening of April 20, Tesla apologized to customers on its official Weibo and stated that a special task force had been established to fully address the owner's demands. On April 21, the State Administration for Market Regulation instructed the market supervision departments in Henan Province, Shanghai, and other places to protect consumers' legitimate rights and interests according to the law. On April 22, 2021, Tesla provided the China Market Supervision News reporter with one minute of data before the vehicle accident and issued a written explanation. On April 26, Tesla apologized again, stating that it would make every effort to resolve existing issues. On May 6, Ms. Zhang submitted a civil lawsuit to the Beiguan District People's Court in Anyang City, demanding legal accountability for the relevant personnel.
Tesla has recently been under scrutiny due to issues with its autonomous driving system. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating multiple accidents involving Autopilot's inaccurate recognition in specific road conditions, such as delayed responses to curves or stationary vehicles ahead. Having followed automotive safety news for years, I find this investigation quite significant. Tesla has already released OTA remote updates to fix the software, but it's advisable for owners to proactively check their settings to ensure notifications are enabled. The recall affects several models, primarily the Model S and Model 3. Such risks are inevitable during technological iterations, and I recommend new owners use driver-assist modes more often rather than relying entirely on autonomous control. Timely upgrades can help avoid potential collisions—safety should always come first.
