Tesla introduced a new feature to enable drivers to escape quickly while charging their vehicles in response to a mass shooting at a Supercharger location in Idaho in August that left seven people wounded and four dead. When a Tesla vehicle is charging, the plug is locked to the charging port and driving is disabled. To put the car in drive, a charging cable has to be manually released from the vehicle’s charging port. Since the shooting in Twin Falls, Idaho, Tesla owners have been requesting a quick-release mechanism that would allow them to escape in the event of an emergency. This week, Tesla responded with a software update that responds to those concerns. The new “emergency drive away” feature allows vehicle owners to override the charging lock and drive away while the handle is still attached
