One fatality resulted from a Tesla Model 3 crash in Paris in December, his lawyer said on Sunday. Since then, the Paris taxi driver has filed a legal complaint against the U.S. automaker.
Tesla told the French government there was no immediate indication of a technical problem in the days following the accident, according to the French government.
Tesla has been charged with putting the lives of others in danger, according to Sarah Saldmann, attorney for Tesla. A case has also been leveled against Tesla.
During the crash, witnesses said the off-duty taxi driver’s Tesla plowed into metal posts, a row of bicycles, a recycling bin with glass, pedestrians, and finally came to a halt after hitting pedestrians and a van.
Immediately following the accident, an unnamed taxi driver told police that the car had accelerated on its own and that he had no control over the brakes.
When asked if the complaint had been made based on preliminary findings from investigators that were yet to be published, Saldmann declined to comment.
As well as the fatality, an additional three people were seriously injured and 17 more were injured in the accident that occurred on a street lined with restaurants, bars, and shops in the 13th arrondissement of Paris.
Despite being investigated for manslaughter, the taxi driver hasn’t been charged. Following the accident, he tested negative on an alcohol test.
A public prosecutor in Versailles will now decide whether Tesla has a case to answer. Tesla’s vehicles are equipped with sensors and cameras, and such data has been used to challenge claims that malfunctioning technology led to accidents.
