Tesla's recent victory in a highly publicized case in China has put to rest claims made by a social media influencer. According to the accuser, the 2022 accident involving a Model Y was solely the fault of the electric vehicle.
Unraveling the 2022 Model Y Accident
In 2022, a tragic incident unfolded when a Model Y, driven by the influencer in question, was involved in a high-speed crash that resulted in the loss of two lives and injuries to three others.
According to Bloomberg, the driver asserted that they had lost control of the all-electric crossover, causing it to accelerate to approximately 100 miles per hour (164 km/h). With no means to bring the vehicle to a halt, the car careened into nearby buildings, finally coming to a stop.
The influencer promptly claimed that the Model Y had malfunctioned, attributing the accident to a fault in the braking system. However, a thorough forensics investigation was conducted, which conclusively ruled out any malfunction in the braking system. Furthermore, no defects in the steering mechanism were discovered.
Tesla's Triumph in Court
In a recent courtroom verdict, a jury of 12 members absolved Tesla of any wrongdoing in the case, firmly establishing the driver's responsibility for the accident, per Teslarati.
The influencer, with a substantial following on Douyin (the Chinese equivalent of TikTok), was mandated to issue a public apology on their social media platform. In addition to the apology, the influencer was ordered to pay Tesla a fine of 30,000 yuan, equivalent to approximately $4,100. This penalty was deemed necessary as compensation for the reputational damage incurred by Tesla.
Familiar Tale of Accusations
This incident is not the first of its kind involving the automaker. In China and elsewhere, the company has faced accusations of selling malfunctioning vehicles, only to have juries attribute responsibility to the drivers. The standard response in such cases has been a public apology and a fine, serving as a means of compensation for any harm inflicted upon Tesla's reputation.
Tesla's Ongoing Legal Battles
Notably, this case in China followed another high-profile legal battle in the U.S., where Tesla was absolved of wrongdoing in a groundbreaking case involving Autopilot technology being blamed for a fatal accident.
In April, Tesla faced another lawsuit in California. According to the complainant, the employee has access to the cabin camera and this violated the privacy inside the car.
Since 2019, the Tesla Autopilot accidents totaled 736 crashes. The Washington Post investigation confirmed that 17 fatalities were linked to self-driving technology.
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