Tesla Model Y Operator Appears To “Summon” Car Straight Into a Parked Jet

Video uploaded to the r/flying thread on Reddit appears to show a Tesla Model Y drive straight into the tail of a parked jet. How the car got onto the tarmac is unclear, but the original post claims the vehicle was being operated in its “Summon” feature mode, where an operator can hail the car from a nearby parking spot, with the car then driving itself to the location of the user, at least when there isn’t a massive jet in the way.

In the video, we see a Tesla Model Y enter from out of frame and drive under the tail of a Cirrus Vision Jet, where its windshield and roof then collide with the (stationary) aircraft. Right as that is happening, two people can also be seen entering the frame, with one of them seemingly operating the vehicle remotely. The Tesla even tries to continue forward after impacting the plane, suggesting Tesla’s sensor suite isn’t designed to sense taller objects hovering above the ground (such as this aircraft’s tail), so maybe it’s not great for aircraft traffic.

The incident appears to have taken place at Felt’s Field (KSFF) near Spokane, Washington, possibly during a public or private event. Reddit comments suggest aircraft manufacturer Cirrus was hosting an event during the time of the crash.

The first-generation of the Cirrus Vision Jet is reportedly priced around $2 million. According to the Felt’s Field website, Cirrus operates a service center and training program at the airfield, as well as carry out Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) testing.

MotorTrend has reached out to Felt’s Field and Cirrus for more details regarding the video, and Cirrus responded with a statement: “We can confirm that the aircraft in the video is a Cirrus Aircraft Vision Jet. The Vision Jet is the best-selling Personal Jet in the world for three years in a row. The award-winning Vision Jet features the Safe Return Autoland system which allows a passenger to land the aircraft with a touch of a button as well as the revolutionary Cirrus Airframe Parachute System.”