THE DAILY BS: HOW MUCH CAN YOU HANDLE?
SPARE ME THE BS (I’ve got things to do).
- A woman drove a Tesla through the glass entrance of Corner Wine and Spirits in Downtown Doral, Florida, on Wednesday.
- Police say the driver reported that she was trying to use the car’s self-driving function when the vehicle suddenly accelerated.
- Surveillance footage captured the collision; no injuries were reported, and police issued the driver a citation.
LAY IT ON ME (I’ve got time).
Florida has given us another reminder that even the fanciest technology doesn’t always mix well with a shopping center.
A woman driving a Tesla crashed through the glass entrance of a Doral liquor store Wednesday afternoon, and her explanation to police was almost as memorable as the surveillance video.
She said she was trying to use the car’s self-driving feature.
The collision happened at Corner Wine and Spirits in the Downtown Doral shopping center, where surveillance footage obtained by WPLG’s Local 10 News showed the Tesla breaking through the glass doors and coming to a stop inside the business.
That’s a rather aggressive approach to curbside pickup.
According to Doral police, the woman told officers she was attempting to activate a self-driving function when the vehicle suddenly accelerated into the store.
The video shows the results: damaged glass doors, a vehicle partially inside a retail business and a considerable mess for the people who had expected an ordinary Wednesday afternoon.
Fortunately, authorities reported no injuries.
Police issued the driver a citation. Local reporting did not identify the specific driving feature involved or establish whether it was actually operating at the time of the crash. That distinction could become important if investigators examine the vehicle’s electronic records.
But the surveillance video is dramatic enough without speculating about the car’s software.
Local 10 reported that the store reopened Thursday, though wooden boards temporarily covered the entrance where the glass doors had been.
DBS WIRE SOURCES (I’ve got all day).
- Local 10 — Surveillance video and driver’s account to police
- Local 10 — Original crash report and response from authorities
- Tesla — Official explanation of driver-assistance features and limitations
