Tesla suffered the biggest accident of the year in China.
Recently, in Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province, a Tesla suddenly accelerated when it was about to stop and hit multiple motorcycles and bicycles, causing 2 deaths and 3 injuries. The family members of the driver who caused the accident responded that the owner could not step on the brakes at that time. The traffic police responded that the accident was under investigation. In response to a reporter from the Shanghai Stock Exchange on November 13, a Tesla China official pointed out that the brake lights did not turn on for a long time during the high-speed driving of the vehicle. At present, the police are seeking a third-party identification agency for identification to restore the truth of the accident.
According to an online video, when a white Tesla slowly drove from the road to the door of a shop on the side of the road, it suddenly veered onto the road and then ran at high speed on the road. After the vehicle made an emergency evasive action to avoid an electric bicycle, it continued to drive at high speed on the road. After the vehicle collided with a two-wheeled motorcycle traveling in the same direction, it collided with a bicycle in the opposite lane, and the cyclist was knocked to the ground; after that, the vehicle hit a three-wheeled motorcycle, The motorcycle nearly fell apart; the out-of-control Tesla rammed sideways into a power pole and a van on the side of the road, before finally coming to a stop.
On the evening of November 12, relatives of the Tesla drivers involved posted on Weibo that the car owner found it difficult to press the brake pedal when parking, could not stop the car and did not successfully brake the car after pressing the P gear. After driving to the left on the concrete road, the vehicle suddenly began to accelerate. The person involved stepped on the brakes many times during the acceleration, but the speed of the vehicle was still getting faster and faster, which eventually led to a tragedy. Surveillance video showed that the brake lights at the rear of the vehicle were suspected to be on multiple times, but the vehicle did not slow down significantly.
According to media reports, the family also said that after the accident, the Tesla manufacturer sent two staff to the scene to investigate, but no definite statement has been made so far. The owner of the car involved is 55 years old this year. He used to be a truck driver. He has more than 20 years of truck driving experience and is in good health. He is driving a Tesla Model Y, which is a new car transferred from a friend in early November 2022. At present, the owner of the car is still receiving treatment in the hospital, with several broken ribs and a concussion, and his life is not in danger for the time being.
“When he woke up from the coma, the first thing he said was to ask how many people he had hit. After learning about the result of 2 deaths and 2 injuries, he has been very guilty. We believe that the accident was caused by the failure of the vehicle’s brakes. I hope the relevant departments will give an explanation as soon as possible.” The family members said. The owner of the vehicle involved fell into a coma and lost consciousness after knocking down the three-wheeled motorcycle and the airbag of the vehicle was deployed. He had no memory of what happened after that.
The local traffic police responded that the accident is still under further investigation, and the identification results have not yet come out. At present, the possibility of drunk driving and drug driving has been ruled out, and the vehicle will be tested.
Tesla China responds to three facts
- “Please don’t listen to rumors, and don’t spread unconfirmed information.” A person from Tesla China responded to a reporter from the Shanghai Stock Exchange and said that from the existing accident video, it can be seen that the brake lights were not lit for a long time during the high-speed driving of the vehicle. This is in line with what Tesla’s back-office data reflects.
- As a result, Tesla China can confirm that: first, the vehicle switch was deeply pressed for a long time and kept at 100% for a time; second, the brake was not pressed during the whole process; third, the driver briefly pressed P four times during driving The gear button is quickly released, and the brake light is also quickly turned on and off.
- According to a person in Tesla China, the police are currently seeking a third-party identification agency for identification to restore the truth of the accident, and Tesla will actively provide necessary assistance.
“Tesla’s response did not express any opinions or conclusions, but only stated facts such as objective data in its hands.” Tang Haitao, a senior car reviewer, told reporters that Tesla can only make decisions based on background data. In response, the accident investigation should still trust the accident determination letter issued by the traffic police department, that is the conclusion.
Tang Haitao further analyzed that, according to the video, the Tesla vehicle in the accident pulled aside first, but when it was about to stop, the car suddenly accelerated. “Maybe the driver has dropped something at his feet and wants to pick it up, but the vehicle doesn’t come to a complete stop, the brake pedal or accelerator pedal is stuck, and the driver is left with the steering wheel controls in a panic. It is rare in electric vehicles, but there are precedents in fuel vehicles.” Tang Haitao emphasized that the above assumption is only one of the possibilities.
Increased deliveries accompanied by incidents and recalls
After hitting a record high in September, Tesla China’s deliveries fell in October, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association. Tesla’s Shanghai plant delivered 71,704 vehicles in October, up from the same period in 2021, but down from 83,135 in September 2022, according to the China Passenger Car Association.
In addition, Tesla lowered the prices of its main hot-selling models in the Chinese market at the end of October, which to a certain extent offset Tesla’s several price increases in the first half of 2022. An auto industry analyst pointed out to reporters that after Tesla’s Shanghai plant doubled its annual production capacity to about 1 million vehicles after the production line upgrade, Tesla’s brand power and product power in the Chinese market are still quite high. Tesla’s sales in the Chinese market will further increase, while exports will also increase.
However, as deliveries and holdings have increased, so have accidents and recalls. Tesla has already issued 17 recalls for 3.4 million vehicles in 2022. However, some auto industry analysts told reporters that recalls are a common phenomenon in the auto industry, and if a problem is found in a timely manner, it is also a responsible performance. As for the Tesla accident, it is necessary to judge the responsibility according to the specific accident investigation results.
