A viral video of a tragic incident from Tamil Nadu has been doing the rounds on the internet. The video has revealed how a brand-new Tata Harrier EV allegedly malfunctioned or was under “summon mode” when it ran over a passenger trying to board it.
According to a post shared by a Reddit user earlier today, the victim sustained a severe head injury during the mishap and later died. The video shows the victim trying to board the vehicle while it was allegedly being summoned using the special summon mode, as per a report by RushLane. The summon mode is a feature that allows the vehicle to move autonomously at low speeds without any direct driver input.
As per the Redditor’s post, no legal action has yet been taken in the matter. The circumstances that led to the accident still remain unclear – whether the car malfunctioned due to a technical fault or the incident was the result of user error is yet to be determined.
Fatal Accident Reported Involving Tata Harrier EV Summon Mode in Tamil Nadu pic.twitter.com/ETgWyoz8GF
---Advertisement---— RushLane (@rushlane) August 20, 2025
Tata has not issued any official statement on the reported incident. The Harrier EV is one of the most advanced EVs the manufacturer currently sells, equipped with modern features, driver-assist technologies, and convenience functions — including summon functionality. Reviewing the CCTV footage, it’s apparent that the car blinks its hazards before moving, probably indicating that someone had switched the summon mode on. The real reason behind the sudden movement is still unclear.
The reported death has sparked concern and debate online about the safety of semi-autonomous features in vehicles operating in Indian conditions. While features like ADAS and summon are developed to assist users, they should always be used with utmost caution.
