Angela Chao, a prominent Texas-based CEO and sister-in-law of Senator Mitch McConnell, died last month in what initially appeared to be an accident. However, as investigations unfolded, the circumstances surrounding her death revealed a harrowing tale of a desperate struggle for survival when her Tesla reversed into a lake.
Chao, 50, a billionaire and the CEO of Foremost Group, a renowned player in the global dry bulk shipping industry, was pronounced dead after she accidentally put her Tesla in reverse mode and the car careened into a pond on a private ranch in Texas. Water flooded the car and unable to get out, she drowned inside the car.
On February 9, Chao had said goodbye to her friends at a guesthouse on her ranch in Texas at 11:30 pm to drive to her nearby residence within the property.
An inadvertent reversal of her Tesla led to a tragic plunge into the nearby pond, setting off a chain of harrowing events. Unable to get out the car, she called her friends to her rescue and efforts to extricate Chao from the submerged vehicle spanned a desperate hour, characterized by frantic attempts to shatter windows or haul the car to safety.
Tesla's car windows are made of sturdy laminated glass and meant to protect occupants during crashes. This made the windowns difficult to shatter and get Chao out.
Emergency responders, including EMS teams and firefighters, had scrambled to the scene, where they discovered Chao's submerged Tesla.
Rescuers stood atop the submerged car, employing various tools in a bid to reach Chao. It was nearly an hour before they could extricate her from the vehicle, but it was too late.
Delay in rescue operations were compounded by the remote location of her ranch and the absence of a dive team.
Local authorities have denied any criminal investigation into the matter however concerns regarding the clarity and functionality of the car’s gearshift, a pivotal component implicated in Chao's accident, have surfaced.
Reports indicate that she was not alone in grappling with the idiosyncrasies of Tesla's design, with numerous users expressing confusion and dissatisfaction.
Chao had made the same mistake - putting the car in reverse instead of drive – just a day before her death, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Business Insider's investigation uncovered a trove of consumer grievances lodged with the US Department of Transportation, highlighting recurring issues related to Tesla's reverse function. Criticisms extend beyond the gearshift, with post-2021 models drawing flak for their unconventional touch screen interface, devoid of traditional indicator and gear selection mechanisms.
Moreover, Tesla's autopilot feature has come under scrutiny, with users reporting instances of "phantom braking" - an alarming phenomenon wherein the vehicle unexpectedly applies brakes, posing potential hazards in congested traffic scenarios.
Chao is survived by her husband Jim Breyer, a venture capitalist, and a three-year-old son. She was a graduate of Harvard University and had published books on economics, international trade, and finance. Her sister Elaine Chao was the transportation secretary under former US President Donald Trump.
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