One of my close friends is low-key obsessed with cars and keeps spewing facts about them as though she’s a breathing automobile encyclopedia. When it comes to her own vehicle, she treats it like a precious chariot of the sun god and goes wild even over a tiny scratch.
Well, she would definitely hate what happened to this guy’s Tesla Cybertruck when he was driving on a highway in FSD mode. While the accident caused minor damage, the repair bill left him speechless, and he warned other Cybertruck owners about it. Scroll down to read all about this shocking incident!
Russell Miller’s Tesla Cybertruck crashed into the highway divider while he was driving in FSD mode
It was just a normal day for Indiana resident Russell Jeff Miller when he was driving his Tesla Cybertruck on a rainy day. He switched to Full Self-Driving (FSD) mode on the highway, going at 52MPH.
Now Tesla advertises the FSD mode as something that “intelligently and accurately completes driving maneuvers for you, including route navigation, steering, lane changes, parking and more under your active supervision.”
However, Russell Miller’s Cybertruck suddenly started sliding towards the highway divider and collided with it. He quickly took over, and fortunately wasn’t injured. When he checked the truck, it had only minor exterior damage. Also, the airbags didn’t deploy, and he was able to drive the truck properly even after the accident.
While he quickly took over the truck, Russell was unharmed, but the front fender suffered minor damages
Since nothing major happened, Russell thought that he would just get the damage repaired and that would be it. Well, nothing would have prepared him for the bill the Tesla Collision Center gave him.
With a whopping $60,000 in repair costs, it also came with a recommendation that the truck be totaled. To say that he was stunned is an understatement, as he expressed his frustration in the Cybertruck Owners Only group on Facebook.
He advised other Cybertruck owners against using FSD in any rain. “Although the damage appeared to be minor. (Damage to corner in front of driver. No airbag. Drivable). The Tesla collision center has managed to get the repairs up to $60k, TOTALING my truck!” he added.
The Cybertruck’s front camera recorded everything, and Russell also included a video of the whole accident in his post. It clearly shows rain outside as the truck traveled at 58MPH in FSD mode while taking an interstate exit.
That’s when its speed dropped to 52MPH, and the vehicle began to slide sideways into the wrong lane. While Russell took over immediately after it started sliding sideways, the Cybertruck rubbed against the concrete. He shared pictures of the damaged front fender on the driver’s side.
Although the bumper looked crumpled, the stainless steel body barely sustained any damage. No wonder he was taken aback after he was handed the extensive bill for something so minimal.
However, he was shocked when the Tesla collision center charged him $60K for the minimal damage, totaling the truck
The hefty bill also blew away other Cybertruck owners, who claimed it happened because of hydroplaning. For those who don’t know, hydroplaning occurs when water builds up between the tires and the road, causing the car to lose touch with the road surface.
It can lead to a total loss of control, making it difficult for a driver to steer or brake. Hydroplaning can happen at relatively low speeds, but a tire’s tread depth can help prevent it.
According to tire brand Michelin, which is a manufacturer for Tesla, “The minimum tread depth is 2/32 (1.6 mm). This means that it is imperative to change your tires once this limit has been reached to avoid compromising your safety and breaking the law.”
When the repair bill went viral, some Cybertruck owners felt the fault was in his tires, not the FSD mode
Russell’s post sparked a huge debate online. Some people claimed the fault lay with his vehicle’s tires, not the Cybertruck's FSD mode. A few advised him to get his tires checked. They also asked him to share a full breakdown of the bill to see whether he was really being ripped off.
On the other hand, those critical of Tesla were hardly surprised by the extravagant cost and even ridiculed Russell for being so shocked about it. What about you? Which side of this debate would you choose? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section!
People critical of Tesla ridiculed Russell for being so shocked about the massive bill
