The Tesla Model X is known for its fast acceleration, and Maaz Jilani knew just when to absolutely punch it. During a heavy-traffic rear-end pileup, Jilani managed to zoom out of the way just before a line of cars hit him. Jilani was driving one of Elon Musk’s sports utility vehicles on a clear day when, out of nowhere, another SUV bumped into a car, which in turn bumped into another car just behind. In the video, you can hear Jilani screech away to avoid the third car hitting his Model X.
“I did try to sprint away but unfortunately it very touched me barley [sic],” Jilani commented on an Electrek article Monday. “The black plastic part has two screw indentations, so it’s extremely minimal damage. It could have been much worse if I hadn’t accelerated.”
Jilani uploaded footage to YouTube earlier this month taken from a nearby vehicle’s dashcam. The video, uploaded for insurance purposes, shows Jilani’s reaction times in action. In the video’s comment section, Jilani also confirmed that he did not have the Autopilot semi-autonomous system engaged, as he was planning to exit the freeway within a mile.
Teslas are known for their impressive acceleration speeds. A stripped down Model S P100D, with the Ludicrous Plus software mode enabled, can reach 0-60 in just 2.389 seconds. The same car with the seats stripped out was able to reach 2.1 seconds, making it the fastest accelerating production car. The high-performance beasts will be used in the Electric GT car championship.
In the future, Teslas could respond in situations like this by moving forward of their own accord. The company is currently developing fully autonomous driving software, using the same sensors found in current Hardware 2-powered vehicles, that should enable cross-country road trips by the end of the year. Vehicles have been receiving gradual updates to improve the Autopilot’s functionality, meaning it’s just a matter of time before the machines take over.
Watch the footage below:
