Though Tesla's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features have their fair share of issues, one video posted recently to X, formerly known as Twitter, has revealed a major benefit of one of the programs.
Posted by Tesla fan account Tesla Cars Only Family (@teslacarsonly), the video shows a Tesla pulling out of a parking spot where the door would have otherwise been inaccessible to a person in a wheelchair.
TESLA CARES ABOUT THE PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE. pic.twitter.com/kqw0pzGJC3
— TESLA CARS ONLY FAMILY⚡ (@teslacarsonly) September 4, 2023
"TESLA CARES ABOUT THE PHYSICALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE," the caption above the video reads.
Situations when another driver parks too close to the driver's side door are simply an annoying inconvenience to many people — but to wheelchair users, it is much worse as it can leave them completely unable to access their vehicle.
Tesla's Smart Summon feature, which is part of the complete Full Self-Driving suite that Tesla sells for an extra $15,000 and is seen on display here, has been hailed as life-changing for drivers with mobility issues.
"I have chronic health issues and so does my wife. A Tesla isn't just a gimmick, when we can finally afford one and the self-driving is totally automated it will be a lifesaver," one Redditor posted in a thread on the r/TeslaMotors subreddit.
"Wish I knew how to get some kind of government program started to help subsidize autonomous vehicles for disabled and sick people," the user continued. "It's unfortunate that the people who need them most are also the ones with the most trouble making money and that they are so expensive. Gotta be a way to help people with that and make lives better."
As Tesla's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features have drawn criticism recently for being rolled out without adequate safety measures in place, it is nice to also see some news about how these features can help people.
X users agreed that the Smart Summon feature was great to see in action.
"Omg, that is amazing," wrote one commenter.
"One of the coolest features!!" wrote another.
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