A Tesla Model 3 owner learned the importance of heeding warnings after drowning their EV in floodwaters outside of Mono City, California. The owner ignored road signs indicating the dangerous conditions ahead, opting to plow forward with Tesla’s Full Self Driving Beta activated.
Thanks to the folks over at Wham Baam Teslacam on YouTube, we have some footage of the events in question. The driver, who is identified only as Ryan, told Wham Baam Teslacam they were cruising down the highway just outside of Mono City at 60 mph with FSD turned on. As you can see in the clip, the driver comes across a sign denoting flooding on the road ahead. Neither the car nor the owner react to this message, despite pools of water present on either side of the roadway. More water is clearly visible on the road ahead of the sign, but no attempts at deceleration are made before making contact with the pool. The car does its best to continue on as if nothing is wrong, creating a nice little wake as it plows forward. Things actually seem to be going okay, all things considered, but then a patch of dry pavement comes into play. The change in grip upsets the EV, pitching it to the left side of the road with quite a bit of force. The driver was unable to regain control of the vehicle before it slipped into a much deeper puddle, which ultimately sucked the car into the shoulder below. Luckily, there was no traffic in the oncoming lane.
The Tesla ultimately comes to rest in the puddle on the side of the road, with almost half of the car being enveloped. Vehicles don’t tend to like sitting in water for extended periods of time, though the level of damage to the car is unclear. Ryan did tell Wham Baam Teslacam that he plans to sue Tesla following this incident, though any success in that department is unlikely. As a FSD Beta customer, you acknowledge the fact that you must be ready to take control of the vehicle at all times when the software is active. When the car didn’t recognize the warning sign on the roadway, the onus fell onto the driver. It’s a great reminder that while ADAS technologies can be a useful tool on the road, limitations still exist and capabilities vary. And that despite the name, FSD does not turn your Tesla into a self-driving car. For what it's worth, it's probably a good idea to avoid hitting standing water of any kind at speed, regardless of who or what is driving.
Born and raised in Metro Detroit, associate editor Lucas Bell has spent his entire life surrounded by the automotive industry. He may daily drive an aging Mustang, but his Porsche 944 and NB Miata both take up most of his free time.
