The French transport minister assured last Wednesday that there was no proven indication that a fatal accident in Paris involving a Tesla company taxi (TSLA Model 3) was caused by a technical failure.
Paris’s leading taxi company, the G7 company, has suspended the use of all 37 Model 3 cars in its fleet after a crash in early January that left one person dead and 20 others injured. Three people are still in serious condition, according to police spokesmen carrying out the investigation. “There are no elements that could lead one to believe that the incident is related to a technical problem,” Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari told French radio RMC.
It’s not the first time it happens
The minister also assured that he had spoken with the executive director of Tesla Europe, and that he told him that there had been no security alerts about the Model 3. For its part, Tesla has not yet made a statement in this regard. The famous electric car manufacturer collects all the detailed data from the sensors and cameras that are incorporated into its vehicles and on other occasions has used said data to question the claims that the traffic accidents involving the brand’s cars were caused by due to a technology malfunction .
Police sources say that the car, which had stopped at a red light, suddenly accelerated, hitting and dragging a cyclist who later died. The driver tried to stop the vehicle heading towards the median to avoid further personal injury, as has been corroborated through the testimony of witnesses and the review of the security cameras in the area where the accident took place.
What is still unclear is whether the car was operating in autopilot mode. The driver failed a breathalyzer test, but French police have confirmed that an involuntary manslaughter investigation has been opened against the driver.
The video of the accident was published by various media outlets, and it shows the remains of a black Tesla and various debris scattered on the street. The left side of the vehicle is totally smashed, the left front wheel was shattered, and the front windshield was shattered.
The car appeared to have collided with a white van, which also suffered damage to the front end. Other images that circulated through social networks reflect several pedestrians who run to help and care for passers-by injured in the event, and it is seen how many are shocked by the accident.
