Four individuals perished in a Tesla accident near Niort, France on Saturday, October 12, 2024, after the car veered off the road, hit a road sign, and caught fire, as reported by local law enforcement. The victims, the driver and three passengers, were severely burned, creating challenges for the identification process.
The exact conditions surrounding the crash are still under investigation, with the specifics remaining unclear, according to Lieutenant Eric Hoarau, a representative for the local police. “Everything suggests [the vehicle] came off the road,” Hoarau stated, referring to clues such as tire tracks and a mangled road sign at the accident site. The lack of eyewitnesses further complicates the investigation into this fatal event.
Questions have been raised about the Autopilot system of the involved Tesla, a feature that has been under scrutiny in multiple probes following a series of crashes in recent years. As per an investigation by the “Wall Street Journal,” Tesla’s Autopilot technology heavily depends on computer vision instead of lidar sensors (light detection and ranging). Some experts theorize this might be contributing to these accidents. The investigation indicates that many Autopilot-related incidents were connected to unexpected veering or an inability to detect obstacles.
This tragic accident in France is another addition to a growing list of similar Tesla crashes worldwide, including several instances of fatal fires post-impact. For example, in April 2021, a Tesla Model S in The Woodlands, Texa collided with a tree and ignited, resulting in two deaths. Subsequent investigations revealed high-speed travel, and there were initial suspicions of Autopilot engagement, an assertion that Tesla later denied.
In another incident, a Tesla Model X driver lost his life in a crash into a barrier in Mountain View, California in March 2018. The vehicle’s Autopilot system was reportedly active at the time of the crash. Follow-up investigations criticized its design for its heavy reliance on camera-based systems without sufficient driver monitoring. These events underscore the concerns regarding the potential for significant safety failures in Tesla’s Autopilot feature.
With the ongoing investigation, authorities are striving to identify the victims and ascertain the underlying cause of the French crash.
