I don't understand how this is supposed to bolster Tesla's image.
The fact that the car alerted him to the fact that it was going to combust does not mean that it is OK that the car combusted.
The fact that the car alerted him to the fact that it was going to combust does not mean that it is OK that the car combusted.
Two fires are a PR problem, not an actual problem. But Tesla has a failure mode with their car that they need to address. It would appear that their "quarter inch armor plate" isn't thick enough to withstand a trailer hitch.
It is a true statement, but the situation is definitely preferable to having no notification.