"Design flaws caused a Tesla Model 3 to suddenly accelerate out of control before it crashed into a utility pole and burst into flames, killing a woman and severely injuring her husband, a lawsuit filed in federal court alleges.Another defect with the door handle design thwarted bystanders who were trying to rescue the driver, Jeff Dennis, and his wife, Wendy, from the car, according to the lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington."
"Tesla doors have been at the center of several crash cases because the battery powering the unlocking mechanism shuts off in case of a crash, and the manual releases that override that system are known for being difficult to find.Last month, the parents of two California college students killed in a Tesla crash sued the carmaker, saying the students were trapped in the vehicle as it burst into flames because of a design flaw that prevented them from opening the doors."
Design flaws caused a Tesla Model 3 to suddenly accelerate, strike a utility pole, and burst into flames, killing Wendy Dennis and severely injuring her husband, Jeff Dennis. Bystanders attempting rescue were hampered because a door-handle defect and a battery-powered unlocking mechanism that shuts off in crashes prevented opening; manual releases are difficult to locate. The vehicle reportedly accelerated for at least five seconds and automatic emergency braking did not engage before impact. Plaintiffs seek punitive and wrongful-death damages in California, note the vehicle was designed and manufactured in California, and cite prior crash cases and a federal probe into stuck doors.
Read at Fast Company
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