Australia’s safest SUV not immune to crashes

The Tesla Model Y is meant to be one of the safest cars on the road, but that wasn’t enough to stop one owner from, erm, parking their car on a Western Sydney footpath.

The Model Y SUV – posted on a prominent Australian motoring Facebook page – appears to have mounted the kerb, driven across the footpath, and run through a low wall before finally coming to rest.

It’s not clear why the vehicle crashed, whether it was driver error or a medical incident.

The Model Y retails in Australia from $69,300 plus on-road costs and comes with a suite of always active cameras for driver safety and semi-autonomous driving.

The Model Y features one of the most advanced driver assistance suites on the market, capable of taking charge of steering, acceleration, and braking in complex urban environments with the Full Self-Driving option added (according to its maker).

The Model Y is also meant to have a feature that prevents it from accelerating into solid objects, even if the accelerator is pressed. Vehicles like the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport have a similar feature, which could have prevented an accident like this if it functioned correctly.

Even without the $10,100 option package fitted, Model Y was awarded 98 per cent in the Safety Assist category by ANCAP when it was handed its five-star safety rating in 2022.

MORE: Tesla Model Y RWD review