New Delhi : A man named Senthil in Tamil Nadu reportedly died after being run over by a Tata Harrier EV outside his shop in Avinashi, Tiruppur district. The incident occurred while he was attempting to board the vehicle, which was reportedly in Summon Mode, a feature that allows the car to move forward or backward remotely using the key.
CCTV footage of the incident, dated August 14, 2025, at around 5:53 pm, was widely circulated on social media, showing the vehicle rolling back with the driver’s side door open, fatally striking Senthil as he attempted to board it. Locals and eyewitnesses said that the vehicle was in summon mode, while Tata Motors stated that the motor was not engaged and the accident may have occurred due to the slope’s inclination and gravity.
Preliminary observations from video shared online/ on social media suggests that the vehicle may have rolled back from the top of a slope due to gravity and ricocheted after striking an unknown object, suggesting that the motor was not engaged”, said the company. Tata Motors also noted that the Harrier EV remains with the family and has been driven since the incident, while the company has not yet inspected the vehicle.
The Tata Harrier EV was launched in India on June 3, 2025. As per Tata Motors’s website, the Harrier.ev’s Summon Mode “enables you to remotely summon Harrier.ev in forward or reverse direction, perfect for tight spaces.” The feature is part of the SUV’s advanced convenience suite, allowing drivers to manoeuvre the vehicle in and out of confined spots without being inside.