--- title: "Police Investigating Deadly Accident In Which Tesla Plowed Into Multiple People" description: "A Tesla driver was captured on video killing two people and injuring three others in China in an alleged brake malfunction." date: "2022-11-14" modified: "2022-11-14" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/police-investigating-tesla-brake-accident-china" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Tesla" tags: - "car accident" - "electric vehicles" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Police Investigating Deadly Accident In Which Tesla Plowed Into Multiple People ![A Tesla driver was captured on video killing two people and injuring three others in China in an alleged brake malfunction.]() *\Image: YouTube\* ## Deadly Speed A Tesla in China was captured on video killing two people and injuring three others in an alleged brake malfunction — and now, the company is working with Chinese authorities to figure out what, exactly, went so tragically wrong. As [*Reuters* reports](), Tesla has publicly affirmed that it's working with police in the province of Guangdong to investigate the accident, which occurred earlier in November. The out-of-control driver killed a teen girl and a motorcyclist, reports note. As the disturbing CCTV videos of the accident show, the Model Y was seen speeding through the streets of a town called Chaozhou, with the driver jerking past several cars and motorcycles before plowing into a cyclist and then careening into a building. ## Talk Is Cheap With the horrific video of the incident going viral, rumors have begun swirling about what really could have happened — and Tesla itself is cautioning against believing unsubstantiated hearsay, which include claims that the unnamed driver didn't hit the brakes at all. "Police are currently seeking a third party appraisal agency to identify the truth behind this accident," Tesla told *Reuters* in a statement, "and we will actively provide any necessary assistance." China's *Jimu News* has reported that a family member of the unnamed man claimed he was having issues with the Model Y's brakes — a claim complicated by Tesla's own assertion that the vehicle log did not show that the brake had been applied and that instead, the accelerator was pressed for most of the incident, [as *Electrek* reports](). ## Brake Light This isn't Tesla's first foray with alleged brake and accelerator issues either in China or stateside, *Electrek* notes. The issue got bad enough, in fact, that the company [published a blog post]() in January 2020 assuring customers that "there is no 'unintended acceleration' in Tesla vehicles." It's too soon to tell if the accident was the result of a technological malfunction or a human one, but it's doing no favors for the company's public perception. **More Tesla:** [*A Tesla Executive Under Investigation Is Now Working at SpaceX for Some Reason*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()