An out-of-control Tesla is reported to have killed two people and wounded three others after it sped through the streets of Chaozhou city in China then crashed into a store.
A terrifying video of the incident shows a white Tesla Model Y accelerating suddenly after its driver appeared to try to park it on a roadside, but it instead whips back onto a busy streets.
According to local media, the 55-year-old driver’s family says he lost control of the vehicle after it allegedly failed to respond to his attempts to halt it by stepping on the brake pedal.
Tesla says it is probing the matter but warned against what it termed rumours saying its own data showed the vehicle’s brake pedal was not engaged in the period it was speeding.
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The American clean energy car manufacturer, in a statement sent to Reuters, said it was working with the Chinese authorities to get to the bottom of the horrific road accident.
This comes amid concerns being raised over the automatic features in the Tesla after a number of incidences in which they supposedly experience malfunctions were reported.
In the collection of CCTV footages, the car is seen speeding dangerously on the busy streets before ramming more than two people riding on scooters and motorbikes on November 5.
The out-of-control vehicle then slams a truck at a busy intersection sending a cloud of smoke and debris flying high into the air before grinding to a movie-esque halt.
Local media outlet, Jimu News, reported that traffic police indicated that a high school girl and a motorcyclist had been killed even as the cause of the accident was not established.
On Sunday, Tesla said it will assist Chinese police in its probe into the spectacular accident.
“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 told Reuters on Sunday.
China is the second-largest market for Tesla, which is headed by founder and CEO Elon Musk, and the crash is not the first time brake malfunction claims have been made there.