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Tesla Model 3 protects owner by shaking off near-crash with swerving semi
A Tesla owner is thanking her Model 3’s safety features and stability after a near-miss with a swerving semitrailer in Nebraska. The harrowing incident resulted in the Model 3 fishtailing at high speed and driving into a median, then finding its traction and getting back on the road — grass, mud, bugs and all.
Vivianna Van Deerlin was driving her Long Range RWD Model 3 about 70 miles from Lincoln NE on I-80 when she encountered an unsettling sight on the road. Ahead of her, a massive semitrailer was swerving from side to side. She tried to overtake the semi carefully, but just as she was midway through the maneuver, the large truck swerved into her lane. The Model 3 was on Autopilot then, and she opted to take control of the vehicle to avoid the truck.
This caused her to fishtail and skid into the median. The incident happened while the Model 3 was traveling at 80 mph, but despite this speed, the vehicle refused to spin or roll over. Covered in grass from top to bottom, the car was able to get back on the road without any problems. None of the Model 3’s passengers were harmed, and the sedan proved tough enough to drive all the way to a service center where it could be checked for any needed repairs.
Looking at pictures of the aftermath and footage of the incident, it was evident that the Model 3 owner escaped what could very well have been a serious accident. Unfortunately, the video also revealed that the driver of the semitrailer, which caused the incident, didn’t stop to check up on the Model 3 or its passengers. It just drove on, seemingly oblivious of what transpired behind it.
The Tesla owner credits several aspects of her Model 3 for saving her and her husband’s life during the close call with the semi. She noted that her vehicle showed remarkable stability as she drove into the median thanks to its low center of gravity, and it promptly gained traction as soon as she floored it to avoid getting stuck on the muddy grass. Particularly notable was that the vehicle was an RWD version, which only had one electric motor.
-->In hindsight, Vivian noted that she might not have driven into the median had she not disengaged Autopilot. Past videos of Autopilot avoiding accidents, after all, show that the driver-assist system might have avoided the swerving semi without leaving the road. “Probably would’ve been better off letting AP continue but hard to know that in the moment. My reflexes just took over when the truck crossed over the white line, unfortunately there just wasn’t any shoulder to move into,” she wrote in an update on Twitter.
Fortunately, the vehicle incurred no damages from its grassy encounter. There was a ton of grass to be cleaned out and some remarkable dashcam footage to save, but apart from these, the Model 3 was completely fine.
Vivianna Van Deerlin is an active member of the Tesla community, organizing the Tesla Boot Camp program for new electric car owners. She and her husband Peter are also longtime Tesla owners, being one of the customers who placed a reservation for the Model S back in 2009 and taking delivery of the sedan in 2012. Apart from her Long Range RWD Model 3, she and her husband also own a Model 3 Performance and a rather rare 2010 Tesla Roadster Sport. In this particular trip, the Van Deerlins were taking a 3,000-mile journey from New Jersey to California to give their Long Range RWD Model 3 to their son. Thanks to the durability of the Model 3, the parents’ journey will continue.
News
Tesla Model 3 named New Zealand’s best passenger car of 2025
Tesla flipped the switch on Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in September, turning every Model 3 and Model Y into New Zealand’s most advanced production car overnight.
The refreshed Tesla Model 3 has won the DRIVEN Car Guide AA Insurance NZ Car of the Year 2025 award in the Passenger Car category, beating all traditional and electric rivals.
Judges praised the all-electric sedan’s driving dynamics, value-packed EV tech, and the game-changing addition of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) that went live in New Zealand this September.
Why the Model 3 clinched the crown
DRIVEN admitted they were late to the “Highland” party because the updated sedan arrived in New Zealand as a 2024 model, just before the new Model Y stole the headlines. Yet two things forced a re-evaluation this year.
First, experiencing the new Model Y reminded testers how many big upgrades originated in the Model 3, such as the smoother ride, quieter cabin, ventilated seats, rear touchscreen, and stalk-less minimalist interior. Second, and far more importantly, Tesla flipped the switch on Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in September, turning every Model 3 and Model Y into New Zealand’s most advanced production car overnight.
FSD changes everything for Kiwi buyers
The publication called the entry-level rear-wheel-drive version “good to drive and represents a lot of EV technology for the money,” but highlighted that FSD elevates it into another league. “Make no mistake, despite the ‘Supervised’ bit in the name that requires you to remain ready to take control, it’s autonomous and very capable in some surprisingly tricky scenarios,” the review stated.
-->At NZ$11,400, FSD is far from cheap, but Tesla also offers FSD (Supervised) on a $159 monthly subscription, making the tech accessible without the full upfront investment. That’s a game-changer, as it allows users to access the company’s most advanced system without forking over a huge amount of money.
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Tesla starts rolling out FSD V14.2.1 to AI4 vehicles including Cybertruck
FSD V14.2.1 was released just about a week after the initial FSD V14.2 update was rolled out.
It appears that the Tesla AI team burned the midnight oil, allowing them to release FSD V14.2.1 on Thanksgiving. The update has been reported by Tesla owners with AI4 vehicles, as well as Cybertruck owners.
For the Tesla AI team, at least, it appears that work really does not stop.
FSD V14.2.1
Initial posts about FSD V14.2.1 were shared by Tesla owners on social media platform X. As per the Tesla owners, V14.2.1 appears to be a point update that’s designed to polish the features and capacities that have been available in FSD V14. A look at the release notes for FSD V14.2.1, however, shows that an extra line has been added.
“Camera visibility can lead to increased attention monitoring sensitivity.”
Whether this could lead to more drivers being alerted to pay attention to the roads more remains to be seen. This would likely become evident as soon as the first batch of videos from Tesla owners who received V14.21 start sharing their first drive impressions of the update. Despite the update being released on Thanksgiving, it would not be surprising if first impressions videos of FSD V14.2.1 are shared today, just the same.
-->Rapid FSD releases
What is rather interesting and impressive is the fact that FSD V14.2.1 was released just about a week after the initial FSD V14.2 update was rolled out. This bodes well for Tesla’s FSD users, especially since CEO Elon Musk has stated in the past that the V14.2 series will be for “widespread use.”
FSD V14 has so far received numerous positive reviews from Tesla owners, with numerous drivers noting that the system now drives better than most human drivers because it is cautious, confident, and considerate at the same time. The only question now, really, is if the V14.2 series does make it to the company’s wide FSD fleet, which is still populated by numerous HW3 vehicles.
News
Waymo rider data hints that Tesla’s Cybercab strategy might be the smartest, after all
These observations all but validate Tesla’s controversial two-seat Cybercab strategy, which has caught a lot of criticism since it was unveiled last year.
Toyota Connected Europe designer Karim Dia Toubajie has highlighted a particular trend that became evident in Waymo’s Q3 2025 occupancy stats. As it turned out, 90% of the trips taken by the driverless taxis carried two or fewer passengers.
These observations all but validate Tesla’s controversial two-seat Cybercab strategy, which has caught a lot of criticism since it was unveiled last year.
Toyota designer observes a trend
Karim Dia Toubajie, Lead Product Designer (Sustainable Mobility) at Toyota Connected Europe, analyzed Waymo’s latest California Public Utilities Commission filings and posted the results on LinkedIn this week.
“90% of robotaxi trips have 2 or less passengers, so why are we using 5-seater vehicles?” Toubajie asked. He continued: “90% of trips have 2 or less people, 75% of trips have 1 or less people.” He accompanied his comments with a graphic showing Waymo’s occupancy rates, which showed 71% of trips having one passenger, 15% of trips having two passengers, 6% of trips having three passengers, 5% of trips having zero passengers, and only 3% of trips having four passengers.
The data excludes operational trips like depot runs or charging, though Toubajie pointed out that most of the time, Waymo’s massive self-driving taxis are really just transporting 1 or 2 people, at times even no passengers at all. “This means that most of the time, the vehicle being used significantly outweighs the needs of the trip,” the Toyota designer wrote in his post.
-->Cybercab suddenly looks perfectly sized
Toubajie gave a nod to Tesla’s approach. “The Tesla Cybercab announced in 2024, is a 2-seater robotaxi with a 50kWh battery but I still believe this is on the larger side of what’s required for most trips,” he wrote.
With Waymo’s own numbers now proving 90% of demand fits two seats or fewer, the wheel-less, lidar-free Cybercab now looks like the smartest play in the room. The Cybercab is designed to be easy to produce, with CEO Elon Musk commenting that its product line would resemble a consumer electronics factory more than an automotive plant. This means that the Cybercab could saturate the roads quickly once it is deployed.
While the Cybercab will likely take the lion’s share of Tesla’s ride-hailing passengers, the Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover would be perfect for the remaining 9% of riders who require larger vehicles. This should be easy to implement for Tesla, as the Model Y and Model 3 are both mass-market vehicles.
Tesla Model 3 named New Zealand’s best passenger car of 2025
Tesla starts rolling out FSD V14.2.1 to AI4 vehicles including Cybertruck
