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
Blaine Higgs 'furious' over sexual education presentation
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has shared his anger on social media over a presentation in at least four high schools.
Grayson Murray's parents say the two-time PGA Tour winner died of suicide
Grayson Murray's parents said Sunday their 30-year-old son took his own life, just one day after he withdrew from a PGA Tour event.
The dreams of a 60-year-old beauty contestant come to an abrupt end in Argentina
A 60-year-old woman saw her dreams of becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant in history melt away in a haze of sequins and selfies Saturday at Argentina’s annual beauty pageant.
North Korea informs Japan of a plan to launch military spy satellite
North Korea has told Japan it plans to launch a satellite by early next week, an apparent effort to put its second military spy satellite into orbit.
2 died in plane crash near Squamish, B.C., police confirm
Two people died after a plane went down in a remote area near Squamish, B.C. on Friday, authorities have confirmed.
Driver, 18, gets $3,000 ticket, 32 demerit points after speeding on Laval boulevard
A young driver received a hefty fine from Laval police after they say he was driving nearly 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.
Are you a loud snorer? You could have sleep apnea
You'll have a lot more energy throughout the day if you get a good night's sleep, but not everyone does due to a medical condition.
At least 15 dead after severe weather carves path of ruin across multiple U.S. states in the South
Powerful storms killed at least 15 people and left a wide trail of destruction Sunday across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas during the latest deadly weather to strike the central U.S.
Some birds may use 'mental time travel,' study finds
Real quick — what did you have for lunch yesterday? Were you with anyone? Where were you? Can you picture the scene? The ability to remember things that happened to you in the past, especially to go back and recall little incidental details, is a hallmark of what psychologists call episodic memory — and new research indicates that it’s an ability humans may share with birds called Eurasian jays.