MG ZS EV Allegedly Abducts British Man: Unanswered Queries

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【Summary】A British man claims his MG ZS EV "kidnapped" him when it got stuck at 30 mph and he couldn't stop it. The brakes were allegedly not working, and the man called the police for help. Attempts to immobilize the vehicle failed, so the police had it crash into their van to stop it. The car had multiple faults when inspected later. It's unclear if it was a malfunction or user error. The investigation is ongoing, but the claim of a "catastrophic malfunction" seems exaggerated.

FutureCar Staff Oct 07, 2023 6:15 AM PT

MG ZS EV Allegedly Abducts British Man: Unanswered Queries

A strange incident occurred in the UK over the weekend involving a man named Brian Morrison and his MG ZS EV. According to Morrison, the car seemed to take control and "kidnap" him while he was driving home from work on a Sunday night.

Reports from the BBC indicate that the vehicle was stuck at a speed of 30 miles per hour, and Morrison, who had mobility issues, was unable to jump out of the car. He was able to steer the vehicle, but was unable to bring it to a stop. He also heard grinding noises from the brake pads, suggesting that the brakes were not functioning properly.

In a moment of panic, Morrison called his wife and asked her to alert the vehicles in front of him. However, it is unclear how she would have been able to do so. Eventually, Morrison called the emergency line and three police vehicles arrived at the scene.

The police attempted to immobilize the car by having Morrison throw the key fob out of the vehicle and long press the power button to switch off the traction motor, but these efforts were unsuccessful. Finally, the police decided to crash the EV into the back of their van, which brought it to a stop.

Morrison's account of the incident becomes even more confusing when he mentions that a police officer jumped into his car and did something to keep it still. It is unclear what exactly the officer did. Additionally, there is conflicting information regarding whether or not the police were able to move their van without causing the EV to continue moving.

After three hours, a roadside assistance vehicle arrived and ran a diagnostic check on the EV, finding numerous faults. MG Motor UK has stated that its engineering team will fully inspect the vehicle and work to resolve the issues quickly.

The ZS EV's user manual states that in the event of brake failure, emergency braking can be initiated using the electronic parking brake. It is unclear if Morrison was aware of this function. It is possible that the vehicle experienced a malfunction or brake failure, but user error cannot be ruled out either.

With limited information available, it is necessary to wait for the results of the investigation to determine what exactly went wrong. At this stage, there is not enough evidence to support the driver's claim of a "catastrophic malfunction" or being "kidnapped" by the car. Further speculation on the incident is welcome in the comments.