A Tesla Model X owner is thanking his all-electric SUV’s automatic emergency braking system after the safety feature helped avoid a severe high-speed accident. The incident, which transpired on the crossing of Bissonnet St. in Houston, TX, was recorded on the Model X’s built-in dashcam, and later shared on YouTube.
Describing the harrowing experience on his video’s description, the Tesla owner noted that his vehicle seems to have detected a car running a red light even before he noticed anything. Responding to the danger detected, the Model X promptly braked hard, stopping itself and narrowly avoiding the high-speed vehicle. The Model X owner remarked that he might have slammed on the brakes as well as soon as automatic emergency braking kicked in. He also noted that the dashcam footage does not do justice to the close call, and that all the things inside the all-electric SUV were thrown forward due to the Model X’s hard braking.
Looking at the video and the speed of the offending vehicle, it definitely seems like Tesla’s automatic emergency braking system became the difference-maker in the Model X owner’s near-accident. Based on the video captured by Tesla’s built-in dashcam, the car that ran the red light only missed the electric SUV by a few feet. Had the automatic emergency braking system not kicked in, the results of the incident might have been far worse, especially since the offending vehicle already has extensive damage on its bodywork — a sign that it had already been involved in past accidents.
Tesla’s Owner’s Manual for the Model X notes that Automatic Emergency Braking utilizes the forward-looking cameras and radar sensor to determine the distance of an object in front, applying brakes as necessary to avoid or reduce the damage from a collision. Considering the experience of the Model X owner, Tesla appears to have optimized the safety feature even further, seeing as the vehicle was able to effectively detect a threat coming from its periphery.
Tesla’s electric cars are among the safest vehicles on the road today, with the Model S, Model X, and Model 3 all garnering stellar safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The Model X, for one, was given a flawless 5-Star rating in all categories and subcategories by the agency. The Model X’s rollover tests became quite the internet sensation as well, becoming widely shared on social media due to the vehicle’s stubborn refusal to roll over to its side.
Watch Tesla’s automatic emergency braking system save a Model X from a potential high-speed accident in the video below.
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