7 ms·

Does anyone know what happened with the faulty door handles? There was a lawsuit in 2019 but I couldn't find any updates since then. Two separate accidents in

Does anyone know what happened with the faulty door handles? There was a lawsuit in 2019 but I couldn't find any updates since then. Two separate accidents in 2018-2019, Model S crashed, fire started, owner (and passenger in the second case) survived the crash but couldn't get out of the car because the flush electronic door handles didn't unlock and present themselves out. The police officer on scene couldn't open it to get them out. Both cases everyone inside the car burnt to death [1][2][3]. In all modern cars, including the Model S [4] the doors are supposed to automatically unlock on a crash or airbag deployment. I haven't heard this happening on any other car (not that many cars use those flush door handles anyway). [1] https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a29576096/tesla-model-s-lawsuit-door-handles-fire/ https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a29576096/tesla-model-s-la... [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3CJuX8QdjM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3CJuX8QdjM [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tetR1QHzHrM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tetR1QHzHrM [4] Page 26 at https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/downloads/2016_Model_S_Emergency_Response_Guide_en.pdf https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/downloads/2016_Mod...

93po 6y ago
The officer can't break a window?
- sn_master 6y ago
  That's what the lawsuit says. I couldn't find first-hand details of what the police officer put in the report, but there are several theories [1] and videos [2] showing it can be pretty difficult even with blunt object tools. The absence of available time due to the raging fire definitely couldn't have helped either. [1] https://virginiatech.sportswar.com/mid/12654629/board/vtlounge/ https://virginiatech.sportswar.com/mid/12654629/board/vtloun... [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB0AlomPlAY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB0AlomPlAY
- bartread 6y ago
  Car windows are pretty difficult to break. The front window is made out of laminate glass so that it won't shatter on a heavy impact (or simply a stone chip) and spray the occupants in the face with glass fragments or shards. Even if you crack it, or manage to make a hole in it, it's pretty difficult to get through it, and certainly difficult to make a hole big enough for a person to fit through. The side windows are made out of tempered glass, also known as safety glass, which when broken shatters into tiny pieces rather than large shards. However, it's really difficult to break. Blunt force often won't do it: you need quite a lot of force concentrated on a very small area. This is why glass breakers have quite sharp points and are often made of tungsten: it allows the to focus the force so that the glass will break on impact. It's possible the officers involved simply didn't have anything suitable for breaking the glass, and very likely that the occupants didn't. (Which reminds me: I've been meaning to put glass breakers in the door pockets of my car for ages. Must do that.)
  - wesleywt 6y ago
    Spark plugs. People break into cars through windows pretty easily to steal stuff in my country. They use spark plugs.
    - conk 6y ago
      Spark plug ceramic is used to break tempered windows. The ceramic is so hard that when it contacts glass all the force is concentrated on a small point causing the tempered window to fail.
      - sangnoir 6y ago
        I doubt they would use the spark-plugs sideways (which is how you'd get the ceramic part of the spark plug to contact the glass). Unless they are throwing the plugs, it makes more sense to use the sharp, metallic ends which can apply the same force, but over a much smaller surface area.
        Corrado 6y ago
        I think the idea is that you break the spark-plug ceramic and use that to break the window. At least that's what I've seen done.
        pests 6y ago
        Look up ninja rocks. In some states having them or even a sole spark plug in your possession is considered burglary tools.
        sangnoir 6y ago
        I just did - wow.
      - sn_master 6y ago
        Is this real?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LyHPZFtk3o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LyHPZFtk3o
- rasz 6y ago
  US cops have no problem breaking car window when they want to pull black suspect out. Probably over one hundred videos demonstrating this on YT alone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7cANvD0CRE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7cANvD0CRE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU9xj-I1kMA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU9xj-I1kMA etc etc
  - sn_master 6y ago
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CvErhrFwuo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CvErhrFwuo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE8XmHAP4j4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE8XmHAP4j4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAK5DZwrS70 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAK5DZwrS70 For each BLM case there is a one or more similar for other ethnicities with all video evidence that gets no further media coverage and no justice to the victims.

93po 6y ago

The officer can't break a window?

sn_master 6y ago
That's what the lawsuit says. I couldn't find first-hand details of what the police officer put in the report, but there are several theories [1] and videos [2] showing it can be pretty difficult even with blunt object tools. The absence of available time due to the raging fire definitely couldn't have helped either. [1] https://virginiatech.sportswar.com/mid/12654629/board/vtlounge/ https://virginiatech.sportswar.com/mid/12654629/board/vtloun... [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB0AlomPlAY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QB0AlomPlAY
bartread 6y ago
Car windows are pretty difficult to break. The front window is made out of laminate glass so that it won't shatter on a heavy impact (or simply a stone chip) and spray the occupants in the face with glass fragments or shards. Even if you crack it, or manage to make a hole in it, it's pretty difficult to get through it, and certainly difficult to make a hole big enough for a person to fit through. The side windows are made out of tempered glass, also known as safety glass, which when broken shatters into tiny pieces rather than large shards. However, it's really difficult to break. Blunt force often won't do it: you need quite a lot of force concentrated on a very small area. This is why glass breakers have quite sharp points and are often made of tungsten: it allows the to focus the force so that the glass will break on impact. It's possible the officers involved simply didn't have anything suitable for breaking the glass, and very likely that the occupants didn't. (Which reminds me: I've been meaning to put glass breakers in the door pockets of my car for ages. Must do that.)
- wesleywt 6y ago
  Spark plugs. People break into cars through windows pretty easily to steal stuff in my country. They use spark plugs.
  - conk 6y ago
    Spark plug ceramic is used to break tempered windows. The ceramic is so hard that when it contacts glass all the force is concentrated on a small point causing the tempered window to fail.
    - sangnoir 6y ago
      I doubt they would use the spark-plugs sideways (which is how you'd get the ceramic part of the spark plug to contact the glass). Unless they are throwing the plugs, it makes more sense to use the sharp, metallic ends which can apply the same force, but over a much smaller surface area.
      - Corrado 6y ago
        I think the idea is that you break the spark-plug ceramic and use that to break the window. At least that's what I've seen done.
      - pests 6y ago
        Look up ninja rocks. In some states having them or even a sole spark plug in your possession is considered burglary tools.
        sangnoir 6y ago
        I just did - wow.
    - sn_master 6y ago
      Is this real?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LyHPZFtk3o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LyHPZFtk3o
rasz 6y ago
US cops have no problem breaking car window when they want to pull black suspect out. Probably over one hundred videos demonstrating this on YT alone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7cANvD0CRE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7cANvD0CRE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU9xj-I1kMA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tU9xj-I1kMA etc etc
- sn_master 6y ago
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CvErhrFwuo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CvErhrFwuo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE8XmHAP4j4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE8XmHAP4j4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAK5DZwrS70 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAK5DZwrS70 For each BLM case there is a one or more similar for other ethnicities with all video evidence that gets no further media coverage and no justice to the victims.