Polestar 2 owner experiences sudden acceleration resulting in an accident with his garage door. The incident raises concerns about the models safety and the potential for human error.
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In an era where we are depending more on vehicle autonomy and reliability, incidents that raise questions about overall safety should make anyone pause. Recently, Ben Li’s father was pulling on the driveway and as he was about to stop, the vehicle lunged by itself unexpectedly, crashing into the garage door. It inadvertently pushed their van parked in the garage back and through the wall. In his post, he goes on to say.
“Dad was pulling on to the driveway, the car was about to stop and then it suddenly lunged by itself unexpectedly and crashed to the garage door, pushing our van parked inside the garage back and through the wall. One pedal drive was set to full, and forward collision was turned on but it did not stop the crash. All other safety features on.
My dad said he did not mistakenly step on the gas, the car lunged by itself. I Googled and found some others reporting the car moving by itself too after it had come to a complete stop, most people were able to step on the brake but there were 1 or 2 who ended up in an accident. Wondering if anyone experiences the same thing.
Insurance is gonna look after everything I hope. I will report it to Polestar, but I am not sure if there is any way to diagnose the vehicle. I don't expect them to find anything, as it is not like the car has a black box or something.”
While this incident is worrisome and raises significant concerns about Polestar’s safety features, it is important to consider whether driver error was involved. Human factors are often a factor in accidents involving unexpected acceleration. Unfortunately, electrical vehicles come with a ton of low end torque so the effects of unexpected acceleration are more pronounced. While one pedal driving is also designed to improve efficiency, it can also be disorienting for drivers that are accustomed to internal combustion vehicles. Going from mechanical to regenerative braking may also feel sudden, so it is not unexpected to press the accelerator harder than intended, particularly in high stress scenarios. The dashcam video does show a sudden acceleration after parking but it is still hard to deliberate if it was attributed to driver or vehicle action.
Similarly, the Polestar 2 forward collision detection system, though advanced, is not error free. These systems usually rely on sensors or algorithms for the detection of obstacles and apply the brakes if need be. Though, they are not necessarily designed to override driver input. If it is accidentally pressed, the system may interpret that it is an intentional action and not intervene. Polestar is still one of the safest electric vehicle manufacturers to purchase from. Their second iteration also covers more range than the Tesla Model 3, so thats something to think about as well.
Similar Reports and Safety Concerns
The post has mentioned that the owner found different reports on incidents about the Polestar 2 where the vehicle allegedly moved by itself after coming to a stop. Some of the commenters also reiterated on this fault claiming it also happened to them. Jeffrey Bellens, stated it has happened to him so many times, it became almost predictable. That said, these are claims on social media and relatively rare considering the population of Polestar 2 owners. Polestar itself has not issued an acknowledgement or press release concerning any faults on acceleration. That said, they did issue a recall in 2020 for all Polestar 2 electric vehicles to fix a software issue which caused the vehicles to lose power while driving. No injuries or accidents were reported due to the problem at the time. The illustrated concerns on sudan acceleration may be a sign of an actual problem with polestar 2 vehicles, however verified testing needs to be done.
Polestar, like other electric vehicle manufacturers, is subject to thorough safety standards. A HDLI study also showed that electric vehicles are much less likely to crash compared to conventional gas powered vehicles. Though as with the case with new technology, there is potential for unforeseen problems to arise. The lack of a comprehensive data recorder or black box, here, makes it hard to determine what happened.
One of the main problems in incidents like this is the lack of accesible data. Ben expressed doubt that the vehicle could be effectively diagnosed. Though it is true not every vehicle has a traditional black box, electrical vehicles do record data which may be analyzed in the event of an accident. Polestar does have diagnostic abilities and should investigate the incident.
Manufacturers though have an obligation to ensure vehicles are safe and the drivers know how to properly use them. This entails providing clear instructions on features like one pedal driving and collision detection systems like training programs for new owners. The incident involving the Polestar 2 requires caution from the automakers. As electric vehicles become more prevalent in use, it is essential that brands continue to prioritize safety. This is also while ensuring the drivers are prepared to handle the unique attributes of the vehicles. Ultimately, the cause of this specific incident may remain unclear but it still underscores the need for continued dialogue between consumers, and automakers.
Image source: Polestar 2 Owners Club for USA Owners
Nicholas Muhoro is an automotive journalist covering car news and has a decade of experience sharing working at HotCars and TopSpeed. You can follow Nicholas on X and on LinkedIn to stay in touch and follow his news coverage at Torque News.
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