Dubai, United Arab Emirates – The parents of a university student who died in a car accident, “Cybertrac”, produced by Tesla, said that she was trapped inside the vehicle when it caught fire. They claim this was due to “a design defect that made opening the door almost impossible for her”. This is according to a lawsuit filed before a US court.
Krista Tsukahara’s parents claim that the company that helped Elon Musk become the world’s richest man “knew about this flaw for years. They argue that the company could have moved quickly to fix it, but it didn’t.”
Which left the university student (19 years old) trapped in the fire and smoke that eventually claimed her life.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This new legal threat to Tesla, filed in the Alameda County Superior Court, comes just weeks after federal regulators opened an investigation. They are looking into complaints from vehicle drivers about stuck door problems.
These investigations and lawsuits come at a precise time for the company.
It seeks to convince Americans that its cars will soon be safe enough. They want them to be suitable to ride without anyone in the driver’s seat.
According to the lawsuit, Tsukahara was in the back seat of a Cybertruck when the driver, who was drunk and using drugs, crashed into a tree. This happened in a San Francisco suburb.
Three of the four passengers in the car, including the driver, died. A fourth person was pulled out after a lifeguard broke a window and reached him.
