Tesla Cleared of Fault in Fatal Chinese Crash, Local Media Reports

Bloomberg News, Bloomberg News

Tesla Inc. logo during a launch of company's Model Y electric vehicle in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Thursday, July 20, 2023. Tesla unveiled its mid-sized sport utility vehicle — the Model Y — at an event in downtown Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, providing a boost to the Southeast Asian nation’s efforts to promote sustainable mobility. Photographer: Samsul Said/Bloomberg , Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- A Chinese court has ruled a Tesla Inc. vehicle wasn’t the cause of a 2022 accident that killed two people and injured three others, Shanghai Securities News reported.

The automaker had sued a social media influencer who alleged the crash — which happened in November last year — was caused by a malfunctioning Model Y. A forensics investigations institute ruled out the possibility that the accident was caused by defects in the steering or braking system, according to the report, which cited a court document.

The influencer, who has an account on Douyin — or the Chinese version of Tiktok — was ordered to issue a public apology on their account and pay Tesla 30,000 yuan ($4,100) compensation for reputational damage, the report said.

The Chinese ruling follows Tesla’s win in the first jury trial over a fatal crash in California that may have involved the use of Autopilot, the automaker’s driver-assistance system. A 12-member jury cleared the EV maker of wrongdoing and vindicated the technology that’s a core part of Elon Musk’s efforts to gain an edge in the electrification race.

Read More: Tesla Wins First Jury Trial Over Fatal Autopilot Crash

The Chinese accident involved an owner who said he couldn’t get the Model Y to stop after it accelerated up to a speed of 164 kilometers per hour (102 miles per hour) for about 2.6 kilometers and crashed into other vehicles and four pedestrians. The car was finally brought to a halt after the driver crashed it into buildings on the side of the street, surveillance footage showed.

--With assistance from Chunying Zhang.