Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Fatal accident in Paris
Taxi provider takes Teslas out of traffic
In Paris, a taxi driver is involved in a fatal accident with his Tesla. Instead of braking, the vehicle is said to have accelerated. The US company denies a technical defect. As long as the case has not been clarified, the driver service provider does not want to use any Tesla cars of a certain type.
The Parisian taxi company G7 has initially taken all Model 3 Teslas out of its fleet after a fatal accident. 37 vehicles are affected by the decision until the police investigations are completed, said the transport service provider. Other Tesla models will continue to run in the fleet.
A taxi driver who was not on duty was out with his family on Saturday night when the accident occurred. The driver tried to brake but the car accelerated instead, G7 said. It was unclear whether the Tesla’s “autopilot” was active.
According to French media reports, the car hit a cyclist, three pedestrians and a van. The accident drive ended in a glass container, from which fragments flew through the area along with debris. One person was killed in the accident and twenty others were injured. The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating manslaughter and negligent assault.
Because of the speed and driving behavior, there were initially speculations that, for example, the accelerator pedal might have jammed. After Tesla checked the data of the crashed vehicle remotely, the automaker denied that there was a technical problem with the car. Upon request, Tesla assured its willingness to work with the authorities.
G7 is one of the largest Parisian taxi companies with 9000 connected drivers who are independent service providers with their own vehicle. Around half of the fleet consists of electric or hybrid vehicles. G7 aims to be 100 percent environmentally friendly on the road by 2027.