My thoughts and prayers to the family. I drove the 101 north off of 85 that morning, about 10-15 minutes after the Tesla X crash 3/23. Freeway was jammed all the way back from palo alto/menlo coming south. I couldn't help but see the horrific scene in the slow moving traffic. The harsh reality of what 101 on the peninsula has become over the years is there is hardly any median. Driving in the left lane where concrete barriers are near and sometimes on the left lane line itself will cause more accidents to happen. The only thing a driver can do practically is be super cautious in left lanes when they get that tight.

As for what happened to the X, I hope they do find all reasons (how much was driver related vs the car itself). Those things have been tested an insane amount. Because it has batteries and it has cutting edge driver assist features the media will be super focused about it, and understandably so. As for the auto-pilot, it should be investigated, but Ive driven these cars and loaners and if anything they are too conservative and won't activate in rush hour traffic like this.

If there is a car influenced factor to this is should obviously be dealt with.

Seems like they could verify the claims about the missing barrier by putting out a call for dashcam footage from anyone who drove by the area just before the crash.

I was just driving that route today. Those cement barriers are ominous! I'm extremely careful, and do not drive in the fast lane, anywhere near the barriers. Drivers were driving 75 - 80 mph!! Just not worth driving so fast when there's so much at stake.

Curious. Google earth shows about 20 ft of crushable barrier and the crash photo shows the crushed barrier.

Why would Telsa suggest an invalid excuse?

FIRST OF ALL, they got the model of the car wrong. It's not a model X, it's a MODEL S. As you can clearly see in the picture.

Inadequate crash barrier for 65 MPH (or greater) into a fixed cement abutment? I too looked at the Google Street View of what I think is this particular left-lane freeway divider. (thanks @Drury of Willowgate)

Web Link

There definitely is a crushable barrier in front of the fixed cement. However it only appears, maybe, 12 feet long. It may be that this is totally inadequate for a crash at full speed into an 'abrupt stop'. (Note that the concrete is not allowing the car, truck, or bus to slide over the concrete barrier - it must plow directly into the concrete once it crushes the barrier.

This type of "hard-stop" in the medians/exits of freeways has led to deaths in South San Jose (large bus accident) or into giant hard-poles in other parts of the US and Calif (also large bus).

Simple physics experiments have now been done - results, deaths. The NTSB report on the San Jose freeway bus deaths found that CalTrans was responsible for inadequate design of the median barriers.

So, I think this is what Tesla may be claiming. Inadequacy, not non existence.

BTY - the Google Street View (c) is marked as Nov 2017, so 'the crowd-sourced dash cam' idea would be great as an independent verification of a crushed/damaged metal barrier. CalTRAN public documents should also show evidence of this damaged condition (as the lawyers of the family of the cash victim will surely request).

Reporter Kevin, time for a Voice PRA request of CalTRAN?

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