40 minutes locked inside of her car with the temperature reaching 115 degrees – this is what happened to Tesla owner Brianna Janel after she initiated a software update on her vehicle. The video that she uploaded on TikTok has gained over 10.7 million plays in just one day, and it’s easy to understand why.
It turns out that Janel was not at fault for being locked inside of her car. According to the Tesla owner’s manual, “vehicle functions, including some safety systems and opening or closing the doors or windows, may be limited or disabled when installation is in progress, and you could damage the vehicle.” Rather than risk damaging her car, Janel decided to follow Tesla’s instructions and remained inside while the update was being installed.
However, this decision ended up putting Janel in a potentially dangerous situation. The door mechanisms on the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y are electrically operated, and under normal circumstances, they are opened from the inside using a simple button to unlatch the door. However, if the vehicle has no power, there are auxiliary manual cable release levers also found on the door panel. But Tesla warns against using these levers, citing that it should only be used when the car has no power.
Janel was aware of this option but chose not to use it, fearing that she might damage her car. Instead, she decided to stick it out and wait for the update to finish – a decision that almost proved to be fatal. The interior temperature of her car reached 115 degrees during the 40-minute ordeal, putting Janel at risk of heatstroke or other serious health problems.
The situation raises several concerns about Tesla’s software update process. Firstly, it is strange that Tesla does not require all occupants to exit the vehicle before beginning a software install. Lucid Motors takes a more cautious approach, requiring all occupants to exit the vehicle before starting an update. Additionally, Tesla’s recommendation that owners install software updates as soon as possible could potentially put owners in compromised environments at risk.
Janel has expressed her frustration with the situation and has called on Tesla to make changes to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. She stated that she had owned a Tesla for six years and intended to continue owning it, but she was afraid to mess up her car by getting out during the installation process.
It’s important to note that this incident could have been even more severe if Janel were living in a town like Phoenix or Las Vegas, where the temperatures are much higher. It’s crucial that Tesla takes action to prevent such incidents from occurring, especially as we approach a summer with higher global temperatures than ever before.
In conclusion, while it appears that Janel followed Tesla’s instructions and did not attempt to open her doors or windows during the installation process, this situation highlights the potential dangers of Tesla’s software update process. It is crucial that Tesla takes steps to ensure the safety of its owners, especially in regions with high temperatures.