Driver cleared over five-year-old's death after electric car moved on its own'

"Minicab driver, Ashenafei Demissie, 53, was behind the wheel of a Volkswagen ID.4 when it suddenly accelerated forward, killing Fareed Amir and seriously injuring his son, on November 25 2022. During the weeklong trial at the Old Bailey, a prosecution crash expert told the court the collision occurred when Demissie had accidentally pressed the accelerator. However, Demissie maintained that the vehicle moved forward on its own, suggesting a possible software fault. After five hours of deliberation, the jury found him not guilty of causing death and serious injury by careless driving."

"In a police interview, Demissie said: Suddenly the car jumped. I believe the car jumped because Fareed triggered the sensor. I had never had any mechanical problems with the car before."

"Jurors were not informed that, following publicity around the case, around a dozen electricvehicle owners had contacted the legal teams to raise concerns about their own cars including several who drove the same model as Demissie. The court previously heard that Demissie had collected his younger son from school on the afternoon of 25 November. He parked his leased Volkswagen ID.4 in the car park outside his home in Borough, south London, and waited for a space to become available."

A crash involving a leased Volkswagen ID.4 on 25 November 2022 killed five-year-old Fareed Amir and seriously injured a 12-year-old boy. The driver, Ashenafei Demissie, said the car suddenly jumped forward and suggested a possible software fault. A prosecution crash expert said the collision occurred when Demissie accidentally pressed the accelerator. The crash struck the two boys and then collided with five parked cars. The incident was witnessed by both boys' mothers. Jurors were not told that about a dozen electricvehicle owners later contacted legal teams with concerns, including drivers of the same model.

Read at www.independent.co.uk