A very lucky Tesla driver barely escaped what could have been a horrific collision with a low-flying plane, Electrek reported, but the shocking near-miss led to a dangerous rumor.
Tesla's Full Self-driving (Supervised) mode is an advanced driver assistance system, and the scope of its capabilities has long been a point of contention.
Lawsuits over Tesla's FSD promises and the alleged deficiencies of the feature have been filed recently in the United States, China, and Australia. In California, a judge approved a class action suit against the electric vehicle manufacturer over Tesla's FSD claims.
TikTok user Matthew (@mtopchian1) shared genuinely startling footage of the frightening moment when a low-flying aircraft nearly collided with his car Oct. 23.
@mtopchian1 That plane looks a bit low to me #plane #crash #planecrash #nationalguard #okc ♬ Sybau - KCK Mixes
On-screen indicators showed that the incident occurred at 2:40 p.m. on a road in Oklahoma City. Matthew was traveling in the left lane when, with little time to react, an airplane swerved across the median, barely missing the Tesla.
"That plane looks a bit low to me," he quips.
"Driving instructor here, he made an illegal move crossing the double yellow. Hope this helps," another user joked. The original poster and several commenters made light of the situation, presumably because of its gravity, but others were straightforward.
"This is terrifying," one admitted.
Although the incident was alarming in and of itself, the misinformation that followed was potentially more dangerous. According to Electrek, "Tesla fans" quickly began sharing the clip on other platforms, falsely asserting that Full-Self Driving mode saved the driver.
High-visibility accounts like that of Elon Musk's mother, Maye Musk, and the state-controlled Russian outlet RT amplified claims that the near miss was a Tesla FSD triumph.
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Yes — in the next 6 months 🙌 However, the original poster was asked directly by another user whether he was using FSD or driving "manually" during the near-death experience, and Matthew clearly contradicted the rumor.
"Manually, the FSD is really good, but it woulda absolutely macked that plane," he replied.
Overhyping the capabilities of ADAS, such as FSD, when EVs already offer a long list of undisputed benefits, can undermine trust in the technology and discourage drivers from making their next car an EV.
One Electrek commenter blamed Tesla shareholders for advancing the rumor.
"Expect an uptick in dishonesty from these folks as we approach the bagholders' vote," they remarked, referencing Tesla's upcoming shareholder meeting Nov. 6.
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