Tesla is rolling out a new "Emergency Drive Away" feature via over-the-air software update 2026.38.3 at U.S. Superchargers, excluding pre-2021 Model S and Model X vehicles. With the update, shifting into Drive while still plugged in brings up an on-screen prompt; the driver holds the brake and taps Activate, and the connector breaks away so the car can leave.
The feature follows the Aug. 1 shooting at a Supercharger beside an In-N-Out in Twin Falls, Idaho, where a 66-year-old man was killed and another driver was shot while charging. Tesla owners had been demanding a native quick-escape option after the aftermarket EVject breakaway connector drew interest — and legal disputes.
Tesla warns the feature is for emergency use only: it will damage the vehicle and the Supercharger, triggers a mandatory charge-port service visit, sends short camera recordings back to Tesla, and repair costs can run up to $25,000 "depending on the Supercharger." Deliberate misuse will bring "additional penalties," the company said. No new stall hardware is needed; it works at all existing U.S. Superchargers.
Critics, including Electrek, called the approach crude compared with an automatic power-cut and latch-release system. There is no timeline yet for Canada, Europe, Asia or Latin America. Tesla Charging announced the rollout on X on Oct. 1; it is the software rollout, now reaching cars, that is the fresh development.
