Complaints about the reverse gear on Tesla cars have resurfaced following a tragic incident involving Angela Chao, a billionaire who died after mistakenly engaging the reverse gear on her SUV, causing it to back into a pond on her Texas ranch.
Chao, 50, the head of Foremost Group, drowned in her submerged car shortly after midnight on February 11, at her 900-acre ranch near Austin. She had invited friends to celebrate Lunar New Year but tragically met her demise while attempting to manoeuvre her Tesla Model X SUV back to the main house.
Confusion over gearshift design
Reports indicate that Chao mistakenly put her car in reverse instead of drive while attempting a three-point turn.
This confusion over the gearshift design is not an isolated incident. The US Department of Transportation has received a dozen complaints about Tesla’s reverse gear, with users reporting similar confusion or unexpected shifting between drive and reverse.
Records obtained by Business Insider also indicate that seven users have experienced confusion with the design of the gearshift, leading to instances where they inadvertently shifted the car into drive instead of reverse.
Testing conducted by the American Automobile Association also suggested that the tempered or laminated glass used by Tesla was highly resistant to breaking underwater, reported The Times.
Chao was married to billionaire venture capitalist Jim Breyer.
Breyer, who previously served on the boards of Facebook, Etsy, and 21st Century Fox, is presumed to be disinclined to pursue legal action due to his personal relationship with Musk, whom he regards as a friend.
Tesla, led by CEO Elon Musk, has not yet commented on the matter.
The investigation into Chao’s death has been shrouded in mystery, with Texas authorities withholding transcripts of 911 calls and investigators’ reports. Despite initial speculation about criminal implications, sources close to the family clarified that this was a technicality rather than an indication of criminal activity.
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Angela Chao was the youngest of six sisters, hailing from a prominent family with ties to politics and philanthropy.
(With inputs from agencies)
