A man has been detained in Texas, United States, after authorities say he drove a Tesla Cybertruck into Grapevine Lake while attempting to test its “Wade Mode” capability.
Police in Grapevine confirmed that officers responded to reports from Grapevine Lake on Monday after the electric pickup became trapped in the water.
The driver and passengers reportedly exited the vehicle and left it behind before help arrived.
The “Wade Mode” feature is designed to help the Cybertruck handle short periods of shallow-water driving, but officials said using it in an open lake environment created serious complications.
Law enforcement stated the driver was arrested for entering a restricted zone and breaching water safety regulations.
Emergency crews from the Grapevine Fire Department Water Rescue Team later assisted in retrieving the partially submerged vehicle from the lake area.
Investigators said the driver admitted he intentionally drove into the water to activate the feature, but the vehicle eventually malfunctioned and began taking in water.
Authorities also warned that even when a vehicle has water-capable functions, using them in natural bodies of water can violate local laws and present major safety hazards.
