A Florida couple experienced a terrifying ordeal when their 10-month-old baby was accidentally locked inside a Tesla Model X during a test drive. The situation unfolded after the vehicle automatically locked itself and shut off with both the key card and the baby inside while the couple briefly stepped out. The event was captured on video by the baby’s mother, showing emergency services arriving and smashing the driver’s side window to rescue the infant.
The couple had taken the Tesla X home for an overnight demo to decide if they liked the car. However, after the frightening incident, the mother emphatically declared, “We don’t like it,” in a social media post. She explained that the car locked itself just moments after they exited with the key card left in a slot meant to keep the vehicle on. The couple had planned to retrieve their child from the backseat immediately, but the car’s security system activated, trapping the infant inside.
In the footage, the baby’s cries can be heard as emergency medical workers smashed the window to unlock the vehicle. The baby was safely removed, and the mother later recounted their panic, particularly since temperatures were not dangerously high at the time. “Luckily, it was around 6 p.m., and the temperature was no longer 90+,” she wrote, though she vowed never to trust a Tesla with her children again.
The father was heard expressing frustration with the situation, even muttering, “F*** you, Elon” off-camera as rescuers unlocked the vehicle.
Questions quickly surfaced from commenters on social media about why the key card or baby had been left in the car. The mother clarified that they had no intention of turning the vehicle off, stating that Tesla’s demo cars do not allow app control, which limits options in such scenarios. She also emphasized that they were planning to retrieve their baby but were unexpectedly locked out before they could do so.
Other social media users shared similar stories, with one commenter recalling a news story about a Tesla locking itself with a baby inside while charging. In response to questions about damage to the car, the couple explained that Tesla was “very apologetic” and did not hold them responsible for the broken window.
While the couple acknowledged that there are ways to prevent such incidents, they argued that Tesla’s demo vehicles, which do not have full app functionality, present significant safety concerns. The experience left the couple traumatized and eager to move on from the car-buying process.
