Elon Musk claims fatal crash was not on ‘Full Self-Driving Beta’ after Tesla said the logs were lost
Elon Musk has claimed that a fatal crash reported by The Washington Post yesterday was not on ‘Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta’ after Tesla told the police that they couldn’t confirm it because the logs were lost.
Now, he goes as far as claiming that FSD Beta would have saved the Tesla employee.
Yesterday, we reported on a horrible accident involving a Tesla employee, Hans von Ohain, and his friend Erik Rossiter.
The duo was returning from a day of golfing outside Denver when von Ohain’s Tesla Model 3 crashed into a tree. Rossiter was able to exit the vehicle as it was catching on fire, but unfortunately, von Ohain was stuck in it as a tree was blocking the driver’s door. He died inside the vehicle.
The crash happened almost two years ago, but it was only reported now after The Washington Post obtained the police investigation that came following the crash. The publication talked to the officer leading the investigation, Rossiter, the only witness, and Von Ohain’s loved ones.
The cause of the crash was clear: von Ohain was intoxicated. An autopsy found that he died with a blood alcohol level of 0.26 — more than three times the legal limit. But the police also wanted to investigated the potential factor of advanced driver assist feature as Rossiter told the first responder right away that the driver was using an “auto drive feature on the Tesla.”
Rossiter said that Von Ohain was using “Full Self-Driving” on the way to golf and back. His family also said that he was an avid user of the feature.
In fact, Nora Bass, his wife, said that he used it almost every time and she herself didn’t use on the car because she was uncomfortable with it:
Von Ohain used Full Self-Driving nearly every time he got behind the wheel, Bass said, placing him among legions of Tesla boosters heeding Musk’s call to generate data and build the technology’s mastery. While Bass refused to use the feature herself — she said its unpredictability stressed her out — her husband was so confident in all it promised that he even used it with their baby in the car.
Everything points to Von Ohain having and using FSD Beta, but Tesla said it couldn’t confirm it through the logs.
The police didn’t have access to the logs because the car completely burned down and Tesla says that the car didn’t beam them over-the-air amid the crash:
Colorado police were unable to access data from the car because of the intensity of the fire, according to the investigation report, and Tesla said it could not confirm that a driver-assistance system had been in use because it “did not receive data over-the-air for this incident.” Madden said the remote location may have hindered communications.
Again, that was found through the police investigation which happened over the last almost two years since the crash.
Now that it becomes public, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has claimed that the car didn’t even have FSD Beta:
Interestingly, Tesla even reported the crash to NHTSA to confirm that “a driver-assistance feature had been in use at least 30 seconds before impact”:
However, Tesla did report the crash to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to NHTSA, Tesla received notification of the crash through an unspecified “complaint” and alerted federal authorities that a driver-assistance feature had been in use at least 30 seconds before impact.
They didn’t specify which feature and NHTSA couldn’t confirm it either.
Electrek’s Take
Again, as I wrote yesterday, there’s no doubt that the driver is responsible for this crash, and it was a bad decision to get behind the wheel after drinking.
However, I think it’s still important to point out the issue of people behind overconfident with Tesla’s Autopilot and FSD beta features. We have seen plenty of accidents happened, intoxication or not, that appear to stem from driver not paying enough attention because they believe too much in what is only a package of level 2 driver-assist features despite the package’s name.
Now, as for this particular case and whether or not FSD Beta or Autopilot were involved, I see a lot of red flag. The family has been clear. The only witness has been clear, and Tesla has had almost two years of collaborating with the police. It couldn’t tell the police whether FSD Beta was involved or not, and yet, Elon can now tell the public it wasn’t. Red flag.
Also, Tesla told the police that the logs were lost, but it could tell NHTSA that “a driver-assistance feature had been in use at least 30 seconds before impact.” Red flag.
Tesla is required to report crashes involving ADAS features.
Again, don’t drink and drive. That’s obvious. But also, don’t believe that Tesla’s FSD package is going to help you drive while paying less attention to the road or being impaired. It won’t. I might be able to concede that driving with FSD Beta is safer than without as long as you are being as or more vigilant than you would be not using the feature.
If you are not as vigilant because you see this as some kind of crutch, it is more dangerous than driving without it.
I know that when I talk about FSD Beta to people who don’t know much about it, one of the first things that often comes up is, “Oh cool, now the car can drive you home when you are drunk”. That’s a thought that Tesla needs to squash and it doesn’t help when Elon goes out there saying that FSD Beta would have “probably” avoided that accident.
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![Nissan has global ambitions for its affordable plug-in pickup truck [update]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/06/2027-Nissan-Frontier-Pro-Plug-in-Hybrid-Reveal-Photos-Exterior-003-side.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Zhengzhou Nissan has launched a new, plug-in pickup in the Chinese market called the Z9. It’s the same size as the Nissan Frontier Pro, offers over 35 miles of all-electric range, and pricing starts at just $16,600.
UPDATE 04NOV2025: more details and more markets for 2026.
The rebuilding of Nissan started to pick up earlier this year with the launch of the brand’s first plug-in pickup truck in China this past summer. The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model offers 410 hp and an 84 mile electric-only range – more than enough for it to meet the everyday needs of most drivers with easy access to liquid fuel when needed.
It seems like a neat truck, but since it was designed and developed specifically for the Chinese market, its great specs and nearly impossible $24,800 starting price (on the entry-level Frontier Pro model) meant it would have limited impact – and limited interest – in other markets.
Until now, that is! CarScoops is reporting that Nissan now has plans to export a tweaked version of the hybrid Frontier to international markets, and speculates that, “a different version of it could well be built in the US, [since] Nissan’s CEO recently confirmed that a hybrid Frontier is in the works for the North American market.”
You can read the original post, first published back in June, below, then let us know what you think of Nissan’s plans to export its plug-in pickup to other markets in the comments.
Positioned as the electrified sibling of the domestically-built Nissan Frontier Pro, the Zhengzhou Nissan Z9 is essentially a Chinese-market version the Frontier Pro, and it’s spec’ed and priced accordingly, with the as-yet undisclosed price of the Frontier Pro expected to come in a bit higher than the Z9.
That’s less interesting. What’s more interesting is that the Z9 offers 35 miles (60 km) of range on the base, 17 kWh battery, at a price that significantly undercuts even the Slate EV’s $28,000 pre-$7,500 incentive price tag – and that incentive is far from a sure thing.
What’s more, if you feel like spending a bit more, you can get a Zhengzhou Nissan Z9 equipped with a 32.85 kWh battery that’s good for almost 85 miles (135 km) of all-electric range. And even that extended-range model, at ¥168,900 (about $23,400) is still price-competitive with the Jeff Bezos-backed Slate EV.
In short, it’s bound to be a winner.
It’ll sell, but it won’t sell here
With excitement surrounding the Kia Tasman, Slate, and other, similarly affordable light-duty pickups building on the success of the Ford Maverick hybrid, it should come as no surprise that Nissan has international ambitions for its newest electrified pickup.
“In alignment with our ‘In China, For China, Toward the World’ strategy for electrification and smart transformation, Nissan will fully support ZNA’s ‘off-road strategy,’” explained Stephen Ma, Chairman of Nissan (China) Management Committee and President of Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd. “We are working to strengthen our research and manufacturing capabilities, further advancing our presence in the core markets of pickups and off-road vehicles, with the ultimate goal of achieving global expansion.”
It’s exciting stuff, but with all the recent troubles it’s been experiencing, it’s doubtful that Nissan will bring either of its new, Chinese-built mid-size pickups to the US (electrified or otherwise).
“The mission of the new generation of Chinese automotive professionals is clear – to ensure that made-in-China cars are driven across the world. ZNA will utilize its dual-brand and dual-channel advantages to expand its global footprint,” Mr. Mao Limin, Executive Vice President of ZNA, at the Z9’s launch. “We aim to be one of the top exporters of pickups within three years and to reach a sales milestone of 100,000 units.”
That said, Nissan Hardbody fans shouldn’t lose hope quite yet. If Nissan is able to find a new savior in Toyota, a Taco-based BEV pickup with a new LEAF/Ariya-type front fascia might make more sense than you think.
Electrek’s Take
I’ve already written out my own comeback plans for Nissan, and this new Chinese-market pickup truck doesn’t really fit into them. Like many of you, I’m of the belief that a PHEV isn’t an EV – but I do see their value as “lilypad” cars, and the two Lightning owners I know? Their previous Ford F-150s were hybrids.
SOURCES: Zhengzhou Nissan; side-by-side image via Carscoops.
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Finnish energy giant Wärtsilä has announced the latest addition to its massive network utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Australia: a record-breaking 1.5 GWh deployment that brings the company’s total energy storage capacity in the nation to 5.5 GWh.
The future of large-scale energy projects in Australia is looking increasingly DC-coupled thanks to Wärtsilä, which just announced plans to build the largest BESS of its kind in the National Electricity Market (NEM). The massive hybrid battery project that marks the company’s ninth site down under, and pushes its total capacity to a formidable 5.5 GWh.
The company says its latest, “record-breaking” energy storage plant is a blueprint for how to efficiently combine solar generation and storage to create a more resilient and decarbonized grid.
“This project is significantly larger than our earlier DC-coupled project, underscoring the need for this type of technology in expanding at scale,” said David Hebert, vice president of Global Sales Management at Wärtsilä. Hebert called the DC-coupled technology, “a breakthrough for hybrid renewable plants and a critical step towards establishing a financially viable renewable energy future.”
Hebert believes projects like this one play a hugely important role in stabilizing Australia’s grid while, at the same time, advancing the country’s ambitious net-zero emissions targets from the energy sector by 2045.
With a 20-year service agreement already in place and the order set to be booked this quarter, this project is a working prototype for the next generation of global renewable assets. As nations worldwide grapple with the challenge of moving beyond fossil fuels, the success of this massive DC-coupled system will provide a real-world model for how to build a grid that is cleaner, smarter, and more resilient than ever before.
Electrek’s Take Explainer
If you’re not familiar with DC-coupling, it’s an efficiency game-changer. Unlike traditional AC-coupled electrical systems that require converting solar-generated direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) for use by the grid, and then back to DC to use in a battery, a DC-coupled system connects the solar array and battery directly. This architecture cuts energy losses that occur during conversion, capturing more solar power and significantly improving project economics and overall system efficiency.
In other words: it saves money, and shores up the grid. Wins all ’round!
SOURCE | IMAGES: Wärtsilä, via Power.
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Guests look at a model of the largest data center in the UAE under construction in Abu Dhabi as the Stargate initiative, a joint venture between G42, Microsoft, and OpenAI, during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi on November 3, 2025. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)
Giuseppe Cacace | Afp | Getty Images
Fossil fuel leaders have welcomed a paradigm shift in the narrative regarding the energy transition.
Speaking to CNBC on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), OPEC Secretary-General Haitham Al Ghais said there has been a “big shift” in the way industry leaders and policymakers are now talking about meeting rising global energy demand.
“Three years ago, it was all about energy transition. Energy transition, climate change [and] get rid of fossil fuels. Today, it’s about [how] we have to have a balanced approach,” Al Ghais told CNBC’s Dan Murphy in an exclusive interview.
“So, it’s a very different tone, which … I must say, sounds like music to my ears because this is what OPEC’s been advocating for the last two, three, four years actually,” Al Ghais said Tuesday.
His comments were echoed by several industry players at the UAE’s annual oil summit, with many championing the concept of “energy addition” to secure supply and accommodate new demands from sectors like artificial intelligence.
This energy addition refers to a push to develop new technologies, such as renewables like solar and wind, in parallel with existing fossil fuels. Energy transition, by contrast, typically refers to the transfer from one energy source to another.
Climate scientists have repeatedly warned that a substantial reduction in fossil fuel use will be necessary to curb global heating, with the burning of coal, oil and gas identified as the chief driver of the climate crisis.
UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan al-Jaber said at the opening of ADIPEC on Monday that global electricity demand will continue to soar through to 2040, with power for data centers set to grow fourfold and 1.5 billion people expected to move from rural areas to cities.
Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, chief executive officer of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC), speaks during the opening ceremony of the ADIPEC conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The minister, who also serves as CEO of UAE oil giant ADNOC and led talks at COP28, said renewable energy technologies were on track to more than double globally by 2040, with liquified natural gas (LNG) demand poised to grow by 50% and oil set to stay above 100 million barrels per day.
“This all adds up to something far more complex than a single path energy transition,” al-Jaber said. “What we are talking about here is reinforcement — not replacement. In fact, what we’re really talking about here is energy addition.”
‘A big rethink is going on’
Mike Sommers, president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute (API), an industry lobbying group, welcomed what he described as a “realistic conversation” about what will be required to power AI in the future.
“I think we are transitioning from the energy transition. I think everyone recognizes that we’re going to need a lot more energy going forward,” Sommers told CNBC on Monday.
“Our institute, the American Petroleum Institute, and almost every other independent analyst suggests that we’re going to need more. Yes, it’s AI. Yes, it’s data centers. But it’s also more air conditioning, more people plugging things into the grid,” Sommers said.
“We’ve known this for a long time. AI, I think, has put a punctuation point on that,” he added.
Energy veteran and S&P Global vice chairman Dan Yergin echoed this sentiment, saying a big demand surge is in the offing as U.S. tech giants ramp up their AI plans.
Asked whether he agreed with Sommers’ view that the narrative is shifting away from the energy transition, Yergin said: “Yes, absolutely. That is what’s happening. A big rethink is going on.”
“You can see the perspective of the tech companies, who didn’t worry about energy. It was not a cost for them. Now, very much,” he added.
“It’s thought that about half of U.S. GDP growth is coming from investment that the tech companies — now known as the hyperscalers — are putting into building data centers.”
What next for the energy transition?
Ed Crooks, vice chair Americas at Wood Mackenzie, agreed that the energy transition had been a key focus during conversations at ADIPEC.
“When you talk about the transition, it seemed to mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. If, by the energy transition, you mean are we going to get to net zero by 2050 [and] are we going to be able to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees? That, I think it is fair to say, is dead, but I don’t know that was ever really alive in the sense that it was always very, very ambitious,” Crooks told CNBC on Tuesday.
“If, by energy transition, you mean there is going to be rapid growth in renewables, there’s going to be a shift to electric vehicles and we’re going to be heading towards, in general, a lower carbon energy system then I think in that sense the energy transition is alive still.”
— CNBC’s Emilia Hardie contributed to this report.
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