Four individuals lost their lives on Saturday night in western France when a Tesla electric vehicle caught fire, with the exact cause yet to be determined, according to local prosecutors.
The fatal incident occurred near the city of Niort, claiming the lives of the driver and three passengers, all of whom were restaurant employees from Melle, a nearby town. Investigators have launched a formal inquiry to uncover the precise circumstances surrounding the tragedy, including technical expertise to examine the Tesla vehicle.
Initial reports suggest the car was traveling at high speed when it collided with several road signs. Authorities noted that the occupants were already deceased by the time first responders arrived on the scene.
This tragic accident comes in the wake of ongoing concerns about Tesla’s safety record. In December, the automaker recalled over two million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada due to potential risks linked to its autopilot system, which regulators said posed an “increased risk of collision.”
Tesla, founded by billionaire Elon Musk, has been under scrutiny for other fatal accidents as well. In April, the company reached a settlement with the family of an engineer killed in 2018 when a Tesla Model X, using autopilot, crashed into a concrete barrier in California.
