Tesla Emergency Drive Away Detaches Vehicle at Austin Supercharger

A Tesla driver accidentally activated the vehicle's Emergency Drive Away function at a Supercharger in Austin. The incident, which occurred early last Sunday before the driver headed to an F1 race, caused the car to detach from the charging cable and required service.

The first known incident of accidental use was captured in a 52-second video shared on Reddit. The driver was tapping through prompts on the touchscreen before accidentally enabling the feature and driving forward. Tesla may need better warnings for Emergency Drive Away to prevent similar mishaps.

Feature Mechanics

Tesla launched the Emergency Drive Away function a few months prior to the incident with software update 2026.38.3. The feature allows shifting into Drive while plugged into a Supercharger as a last resort, bypassing the normal safety lock.

Tesla added specific safeguards. A red warning appears when trying to shift out of Park while plugged in. The driver must hold the brake pedal and tap to confirm. Emergency Drive Away currently works only at U.S. Superchargers. It is available on all modern Tesla models except legacy Model S and Model X vehicles built before 2021. Tesla vehicles normally will not shift into gear while plugged in.

Financial and Repair Impact

Improper use of the feature can result in significant financial consequences. Tesla stated the function could cost up to $25,000 in repairs if not used properly. Repairing a damaged Supercharger stall alone can reach that figure.

The company mandates that drivers schedule a service appointment after using the feature for a mandatory inspection. This policy is designed to check for any damage to the vehicle's charging port or onboard systems.

Industry Context

This incident occurs amid broader discussions about electric vehicle safety. In a separate event, a Tesla Semi caught fire in Hayward, California on Tuesday just after 5:30 local time. The fire shut down both directions of I-880 traffic for hours.

No injuries were reported. The California Highway Patrol stated the truck's lithium batteries were incredibly difficult to extinguish. Approximately 5,000 to 7,000 semi-truck and large commercial vehicle fires occur on U.S. roadways annually, providing a backdrop for scrutinizing new risks with electric commercial vehicles.

Tesla is committed to rapidly improving the Emergency Drive Away feature based on user feedback from incidents like the one in Austin.