A runaway Tesla raced through the streets of a Chinese province, killing two and injuring three before finally crashing into a building earlier this month.
Horrifying footage showed a white Tesla Model Y suddenly accelerating after the driver appeared to try to park the car, then zooming through busy streets at shocking speeds.
The driver’s family told local outlets that the 55-year-old man lost control of the car and it would not respond when he pressed the brake pedal.
Tesla said it was investigating the incident but cautioned against “rumors,” noting that its records show the car’s brake pedal was never pressed while it was driving through the city. In a statement to Reuters, Tesla said it was working with local authorities to find out the “truth” about what led to the accident.
The wreck is just the latest in which the electric carmaker’s automatic functions have been identified as potential culprits.
The wrecked Tesla Model Y after speeding through city streets and crashing into a storefront
At the end of his killing spree, the Tesla Model Y crashes into a storefront and explodes in a cloud of dust
Footage of the incident showed a white Tesla Model Y slowly pulling into a roadside parking lot and suddenly back onto the road.
The car immediately collided with a person on a scooter, who dodged the driver before darting into the street.
They could see the Tesla whipping through the busy city streets at dangerous speeds, brutally knocking over at least two people on bicycles or scooters as it sped by.
The car eventually approached a busy intersection where it collided with a small truck – flying debris was strewn over at least two cyclists – and then crashed into the side of a building in a cloud of smoke and dust.
Footage of the incident shows a white Tesla Model Y slowly turning into a roadside parking lot and suddenly back onto the road
The car immediately collided with a person on a scooter, which the driver dodged before darting into the street
The Tesla was seen whipping through busy city streets at dangerous speeds, brutally knocking over at least two people on bicycles or scooters.
The incident happened on November 5 in the city of Chaozhou, which is on the Chinese coast northeast of Hong Kong. Jimu News said a motorcyclist and a high school girl were killed.
The store quoted the traffic police as saying the cause of the incident has not been determined. Jimu News also quoted an unnamed relative of the driver who said the 55-year-old man had problems with the brake pedal when he tried to pull over in front of his family’s shop.
Tesla said Sunday it would help Chinese police investigate the crash.
“Police are currently looking for an external assessment firm to uncover the truth behind this accident and we will actively provide any assistance needed,” electric vehicle maker Elon Musk said in a message to Reuters on Sunday, where he warned about “rumors, incredible.”
Tesla said videos showed the car’s brake lights did not turn on when the car accelerated, and the data showed issues such as no action being taken to apply the brakes while driving.
The car eventually approached a busy intersection where it crashed into a small truck
In the collision, flying debris fell on at least two cyclists
The Tesla ended up crashing into a storefront after speeding through a busy intersection
China is Tesla’s second largest market, and the crash was one of the hottest topics on the social media platform Weibo on Sunday.
Tesla has previously experienced brake failures in China.
In its statement to Reuters, the company said a Chinese car owner was ordered by a court to make a public apology and compensate the company after it ruled that comments he made to the media about problems with his brakes did not should not be treated, is factual and damaged. Tesla’s reputation.
Last year, another disgruntled customer caused a stir on social media when he climbed into a Tesla during the Shanghai Motor Show to protest the company’s handling of complaints of faulty brakes in a car accident.
In this case, Tesla said speed was the cause of the crash, but promised to improve how it handles customer complaints.
Source link
