Many people have witnessed drivers forgetting to remove gas nozzles and driving away, pulling along gas station equipment and causing significant damage. To prevent similar incidents, Tesla has always disabled a vehicle's ability to move while charging. However, the company recently changed this rule for safety reasons.

In dangerous situations, Tesla electric vehicles can now escape even while charging, though the cost of repair will be significant.

The new feature, named Emergency Drive Away, allows vehicle owners to shift into Drive and leave a Supercharger station while the charging cable remains attached to the vehicle. Tesla did not install any additional smart self-disconnecting coupling mechanisms; the company simply enables the car to move, with the fate of the charging infrastructure no longer the top priority. This is notable because traditional gas pumps are often designed with breakaway components to minimize damage if pulled taut.

Tesla demonstrated this feature last week and confirmed the system will be updated. When a driver intentionally shifts into Drive while charging, the touchscreen will display an "emergency drive away" warning. To activate it, the driver must hold the brake pedal and press "activate" on the screen. At this point, the charging safety lock mechanism is disabled, allowing the vehicle to move.

Tesla advises customers not to use this feature simply for being late to work. The company warns: "Using this feature will cause damage to the vehicle and the Supercharger station", and emphasizes that intentional fraud or abuse will incur additional penalties, although the company has not specified what these penalties are.

When asked about the extent of the damage, a Tesla representative stated that the repair costs for the electrical components and technical infrastructure of a Supercharger station could reach 25,000 USD, depending on the specific station. The vehicle's charging port must also be brought to a service center for inspection afterward. However, the company has not confirmed whether users will be fully compensated for this amount if they activate the feature in a genuine emergency.

Tesla's simulation video clearly illustrates why the repair costs are so high. As the vehicle speeds away, the charging cable is violently torn off, sending coolant spilling onto the road. Tesla confirmed this is glycol solution and that its cleanup will be handled by technical staff during the mandatory post-incident maintenance. In other words, this is not a safe self-disconnecting system, but rather Tesla authorizing the vehicle to destroy the equipment.

However, this decision stems from a particularly serious reason. The feature was introduced two months after a mass shooting in Twin Falls, Idaho, which resulted in three deaths and seven injuries. According to police, the perpetrator shot three people who were sitting in two Teslas at a nearby Supercharger station, taking the life of Dale Schultz, 66 years old.

Tesla did not directly state that the shooting was the reason for the introduction of Emergency Drive Away. Max de Zegher, a senior leader for Tesla Charging, shared that the company had "considered and debated for many years" before making the final decision. He described it as "a feature we hope you never have to use". Nevertheless, the timing of the new feature's launch makes it difficult for the public to ignore this connection.

My Anh (via Carscoops)