Tata Harrier EV's Summon Mode Leads to Fatal Accident in Tamil Nadu, Resulting in One Death

A tragic accident has been reported from Avinashi, Tamil Nadu, where a brand-new Tata Harrier EV malfunctioned while moving in “Summon Mode”, which has resulted in an unfortunate death of a user’s family members. As per a post shared by a Reddit user, the victim got a serious head injury during the accident and later succumbed to his injuries. 

The incident was captured in a video, which shows the SUV in motion and is switched to Summon Mode, a feature which allows the car to move automatically at low speeds without the driver’s direct involvement. The Reddit user also claimed that the accident happened at the time when the Summon Mode was either switched on by mistake or it could have malfunctioned. 

The car was also reported to begin moving when the driver’s door was open, and in an attempt to stop the moving SUV, the man tried to apply the brakes, but lost his balance and slipped and fell, which resulted in a serious head injury. The user’s relative was brought brain dead by doctors shortly after. 

The CCTV time and date mentioned in the video is August 14, 2025 and the accident occurred at evening 5:53 PM. However, the circumstances under which the accident occurred still remain unclear, while it is not confirmed whether the malfunction occurred due to a technical fault, user error, or some other reasons. 

However, Family members are still in a state of shock and have not initiated any legal actions against Tata Motors. The Reddit user also claimed that the deceased user had also faced software related issues with the Harrier EV, before the accident. In one instance, the car also reportedly stopped on the road and was shut down, as it even failed to restart until the technicians from the dealership arrived. 

Authorities in Avinashi are yet to clarify that the Harrier EV was involved in an accident and are yet to confirm the details about the accident, as it is still not clarified whether any investigation has been started. 

Tata Motors Statement 

The official statement of Tata Motors reads “We have received news of the unfortunate accident and are profoundly saddened by the loss. Our thoughts, prayers, and sincere support go out to the family of the deceased. 

We are in the process of collecting all pertinent information. Initial insights from videos circulated online and on social media indicate that the vehicle might have rolled back from the top of a slope due to gravitational forces and bounced off after hitting an unidentified object, implying that the engine was not active. 

The vehicle is still with the family and has been used since the incident, and we have not yet had the chance to examine it.”

The Harrier EV is the latest electric SUV from Tata Motors and was launched a few weeks ago. This electric SUV is the flagship EV in Tata’s lineup and is pretty much advanced with various next generation technological features, which also includes Summon mode. This reported death has led to various concerns and has sparked debates online about the safety of autonomous functionalities, particularly the operation of ADAS in Indian roads.

Road Experts Opinions

According to various Road safety experts, the availability of ADAS and Summon mode should be re-discussed, as they are given for user comfort, and must be used with extreme caution, and the users should be given proper training by the dealerships to use these complex functionalities.