Tesla has said it will fully cooperate with authorities in China who are investigating a crash involving a Model Y that left two people dead and three more injured. Surveillance footage of the deadly crash led to claims of brake failure, a claim which has repeatedly been proven false by the evidence.
The unfortunate accident took place in the southern province of Guangdong on November 5. The footage shows the driver attempting to pull over and stop in front of his shop.
Before he can come to a complete stop the car accelerates and reaches extremely high speeds resulting in the driver swerving around slow moving traffic before eventually hitting and killing a motorcyclist and a high school girl.
According to local media reports, an unnamed family member of the 55-year old driver said he had issues with the brake pedal and could not stop the vehicle, which reportedly reached speeds as high as 200km/h (124mph).
In response Tesla said data from the Model Y revealed the accelerator was pressed at 100% at one point during the drive, and that at no time was the brake pedal depressed. The automaker also said the video shows the car’s brake lights were not on during the 2km (1.2 mile) high speed run.
Tesla is cooperating with the investigation, which is now seeking an independent third-party to verify the automaker’s findings.
“Police are currently seeking a [third-party] appraisal agency to identify the truth behind this accident and we will actively provide any necessary assistance,” Tesla said in a statement to Reuters.
This is not the first time that a Tesla has crashed in this manner, and each time there have been claims of brake failure. However, upon inspecting the vehicle and the vehicle logs, the data has always shown that it was a case of driver error in which the accelerator was pressed instead of the brake pedal.
You can watch the footage here, which does not show anything graphic, but viewer discretion is advised.
Owner admits to fabricating facts in Tesla China brake failure case
