15 hours ago
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
Family of South Korean lawyer killed in Tesla crash sues US carmaker, local subsidiary
The family of a lawyer who died in a 2020 Tesla Model X crash in Seoul has filed a lawsuit against Tesla's US headquarters and its South Korean subsidiary, alleging sudden unintended acceleration and vehicle defects.
Lawyer Ha Jong-seon, representing the victim's family, held a press conference on Thursday and announced that a civil complaint had been filed with the Seoul Central District Court a day earlier.
The case centres on a fatal accident that occurred on December 9, 2020, when a Tesla Model X crashed into the wall of an underground parking garage in Yongsan district, Seoul. At the time, the vehicle was being driven by a chauffeur, identified as Choi, while lawyer Yoon, a passenger in the car, was killed in the crash and ensuing fire.
The family said that telematics data retrieved from the vehicle raises serious questions about the cause of the accident. According to the data, the accelerator pedal was allegedly pressed at 100 per cent displacement for six seconds, yet the vehicle's speed increased by only 39km/h (24mph) – from 55.84 to 94.95km/h – a discrepancy they argue indicates the driver may have been pressing the brakes instead.
'Normally, we would rely on Event Data Recorder (EDR) data in such cases, but the fire destroyed it on impact,' Ha said. 'However, this Tesla vehicle transmitted operational data via telematics to the company's server, allowing us to review the vehicle's speed and pedal input just before the crash.'
00:58
Chinese driver survives after her Tesla is sent flying, landing on parked cars
Chinese driver survives after her Tesla is sent flying, landing on parked cars
Ha added that the Tesla Model X in question is capable of accelerating from zero to 100km/h in 4.6 seconds. 'If the accelerator had really been fully pressed for six seconds, the car should have gone much faster. This inconsistency strongly suggests the driver was braking.'
