San Francisco — Tesla was sued last year for allegedly causing suspension issues in a Florida car accident that resulted the death of both the passenger and driver. Federal investigation was initiated.
According to the lawsuit filed by the Florida state court, the 2021 Model 3 car suffered from a “defective suspension” that could have caused loss of control in normal and foreseeable driving conditions. Plainsite, an information website about legal issues, reported the case.
The lawsuit said that four days before the accident in September, the driver, Nicholas G. Garcia, brought the vehicle to a Tesla Store due to problems with “controllability/steering, suspension, battery and electronic system, and an ability to open the doors.”
Tesla’s service manager was accused in a negligent inspection of the model.
The National Transportation Safety Board reported in a preliminary November report that the car crashed into two trees and was speeding.
A Coral Gables Police Department report states that Garcia (20) and Jazmin (19) sustained injuries and “traumatic life ending burns.”
Plaintiffs are seeking damages from Tesla and their manager for more than $30,000
Tesla could not immediately be reached for comment.
According to Reuters, the vehicle’s subbody struck the road after crossing a “hump”, which is located at the intersection. The driver lost control of his vehicle before the collision and drove off the road.
Tesla recalls almost 3,000 2020-2021 Model Y cars and 2019-2021 Model 3 vehicles in the United States because of a suspension issue. Tesla recalled 21,599 Model Ys manufactured in China in December because of a suspension problem. Extreme stress conditions could have caused the suspension link to slip from the steering knuckle.
In 2020, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into 115,000 Model S and Model X vehicles to examine a safety concern regarding front suspension.
Ford patents Pet Mode function to keep your furry friends safe
Ford wants four-legged friends to feel as comfortable in its cars as human passengers. Ford created “Pet Mode”, which allows compatible cars to access many animal-friendly features.
Lightning Owners discovered the patent and Ford Global Technologies filed it in October 2018. It was published on February 20, 2022. It describes a simple technology that allows you to control the cabin’s temperature by pushing a button on your key fob. This will open or lower the windows. It can also adjust the climate control system or open a window. It doesn’t matter if your pet escapes while you enjoy a cup of coffee. Pet mode can disable both the window switches and the door handles.
Ford seems to care about your dog’s comfort. Other patent-based features include the ability for your dog to remotely open the doors to let them in and out. You can also fold one or more seats down to make the room more spacious. Pet Mode allows owners to select the music they want the radio to play. Pet Mode could connect to an app on a smartphone or an infotainment system. Ford said that owners could choose which windows they want to open. This function can be activated easily using smartphones or smartwatches.
The patent suggests that a car water fountain may be possible in the future. It states that “a water-hydration system” can provide cool, fresh water for pets at all times. Pet Mode could also be programmed to shut down when the pet isn’t in the car. To ensure it doesn’t forget a Chihuahua, the system would need to be extensively tested.
Ford has not commented on Pet Mode’s patent filing and has not yet announced plans to make it commercially available. We don’t know what the future holds for the technology. A patent filing doesn’t guarantee that the feature described therein will be included in your next vehicle. This patent is great and could be used in real-world situations all across the country. Tesla offers a similar system called Dog Mode. After Ford’s Pet Mode patent was filed, it was launched in 2019. It controls the climate control system, and the car is not in use.