Why Tesla is facing a lawsuit in the US
What's the story
Tesla has been sued over a deadly crash in Washington state, with allegations that rescuers struggled to open the vehicle's doors. The lawsuit stems from an incident in January 2023, when Jeffery and Wendy Dennis were driving their Model 3 sedan. The electric vehicle "suddenly and rapidly accelerated out of control," hitting a utility pole and catching fire.
Design flaws
Lawsuit alleges Tesla's door handle design hindered rescue efforts
The lawsuit claims that Tesla's "unique and defective door handle design" rendered the doors inoperable, hindering the rescue efforts. It alleges that several bystanders tried to help but the Model 3's door handles wouldn't work. Wendy died at the scene while Jeffery sustained many injuries including burns on his legs.
Safety concerns
Tesla's electric door controls under scrutiny
The lawsuit comes after a Bloomberg News investigation highlighted cases where people were seriously injured or killed because they couldn't open doors after losing power, especially in crashes. This isn't the first time Tesla has faced legal action over its vehicles' doors. A Wisconsin lawsuit was filed against the company over a Model S crash that killed five occupants who allegedly became trapped in a fast-moving inferno when the doors wouldn't open.
Allegations
Tesla accused of negligence and misleading customers
The new lawsuit has accused Tesla of negligence and misleading customers. It claims that the company knew about the potential for door handles to become inoperable after a crash, as well as fire risks from the lithium-ion battery pack, but did nothing to fix either problem. The complaint also states that the Model 3 involved in this incident had a defect that caused it to accelerate uncontrollably, and that its automatic emergency braking system failed.
Investigations
Door handle design and ongoing investigations
Tesla vehicles have two batteries: a low-voltage one for interior functions and a high-voltage pack that propels the car. If the low-voltage battery dies or is disabled after a serious crash, doors may not unlock and must be opened manually from inside. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating whether some Tesla doors are defective after reports of exterior handles failing and trapping occupants inside.