Fatal Tesla Model S Crash in China Blamed on Autopilot

Another fatal Tesla Model S crash has come to light that reportedly occurred earlier this year in China. 

The Chinese media is reporting a fatal crash that happened in January of 2016 that involved a Tesla Model S driving on a highway before crashing into a street sweeper truck on the side of the road. Behind the wheel was a 23-year-old man borrowing his father’s car, with the accident taking place on a highway in the Hong Kong and Macau jurisdiction. The accident killed the driver and dashcam footage shows that the brakes were not applied before the electric sedan collided with the truck.

SEE ALSO: Autopilot Not to Blame in Fatal Accident Involving Model S, Tesla Says

The family of the driver is reportedly suing Tesla in Beijing Chaoyang District People’s Court, citing that Autopilot failed to prevent the accident. The lawsuit alleges that Autopilot was activated at the time of the accident, but Tesla is unable to confirm saying that the damage caused by the collision made the car physically incapable of “transmitting log data to our servers and we therefore have no way of knowing whether or not Autopilot was engaged at the time of the crash.”

The company added that it has “tried repeatedly to work” with the customer to investigate the cause of the crash, but the owner has not provided any additional information to assist Tesla in the investigation.

Discuss this story on our Tesla Forum

Leave a Reply