Tesla self-driving accident leaves Montreal man with hefty bill
George Ghazzoul is warning other drivers about the new Smart Summon feature on Tesla vehicles after his self-driving vehicle side-swiped another in a parking lot.
When Ghazzoul bought a Tesla two years ago, he admitted it wasn't just the car's style that drove him; it was his love of technology.
"Really, the selling point for me is the fact you get software updates and you always get new features on the car," he said.
One of the latest downloadable features is Smart Summon.
Like a valet service, it allows your car to come to you using your phone's GPS as its target destination.
Ghazzoul decided to give it a try on April 10 when he was at the Fairview Shopping Centre parking lot.
He used the feature to summon his parked car to pick him up.
"I was within range when I activated it," he said. "I saw it moving initially, but then it took a sharp turn right instead of pulling out of the spot first." He tried to deactivate the feature, but the car didn't stop in time, so he ended up sideswiping the car parked beside it.
The estimate for damage to both cars was several thousand dollars. Ghazzoul contacted Tesla about the accident.
He said since it was their feature that malfunctioned, they should take responsibility, but he said they told him to contact his insurance company instead and that it was not their problem since he activated the feature.
His insurance company, meanwhile, said he was fully at fault for the accident.
What's worse for Ghazzoul is that he has since discovered that it wasn't even legal for him to use this driverless feature in public spaces in Quebec.
"The rules were written before the technology existed," according to George Iny, the director of the Automobile Protection Association.
He said that it's up to drivers to know the rules of the road, including the fact that parking lots are considered public spaces and, therefore, this technology should not be activated.
He said, however, that it's also up to manufacturers to communicate this to their customers.
"There is also the issue of the ethical and moral compass of a company that sells you a feature that is no good to you, where the car is going to be registered and doesn't bother to tell you don't use this," said Iny.
He added that manufacturers could also not activate such features in markets where it would not be allowed.
Tesla did not respond to CTV's request for an interview.
Ghazzoul said that while he is relieved no one got hurt, he's now left to pay for the damages himself so that his insurance premiums don't go up. He says he feels disappointed with Tesla.
"There's no information on where to use it and where not to use it," he said.
He wants to warn other Tesla drivers not to make the same mistake he did, and check first before taking new features out for a test drive.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Banking mogul suing government after intelligence leaks leave him shut out of Canadian economy
Chinese Canadian banking mogul Shenglin Xian has launched a $300 million lawsuit against the federal government. It’s a means to find the source of intelligence leaks which Xian says has cost him his livelihood.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
His SUV was stolen on Montreal's South Shore. Then he got a $156 parking ticket
A couple is frustrated after their SUV was stolen from Montreal's South Shore in March and they received a parking ticket for the same vehicle last week.
Evacuation orders lifted in Fort McMurray Saturday as rain dampens wildfire activity
Residents of Fort of McMurray who were displaced over wildfire concerns were told to return home Saturday.
Conservatives, NDP should be 'celebrating' EV deals: industry minister
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne says federal opposition parties should be 'celebrating' the recently announced electric vehicle deals, despite their criticisms the Liberals refuse to make public the terms and conditions laid out in the contracts.
Member of Israel's War Cabinet says he'll quit June 8 unless there's new war plan
Benny Gantz, a centrist member of Israel’s three-member War Cabinet, threatened on Saturday to resign from the government if it doesn't adopt a new plan in three weeks' time for the war in Gaza.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.