Tesla will assist the police in China after one of its Model Y electric vehicles was involved in a crash that killed two people and injured three more in Chaozhou city.
As Reuters reports, details regarding exactly what happened are still sketchy, but video footage shows a Model Y driving at high speed into vehicles. A motorcyclist and a high school girl are thought to have died in the incident. The 55-year-old driver had problems with the brake pedal, according to an unnamed family member of the driver.
Tesla has asked everyone to be mindful of "rumors," while pointing out that the video footage at no point shows the brake lights of the vehicle coming on. Data from the vehicle confirms the brake pedal was never applied, according to Tesla.
In a statement to Reuters, Tesla said, "Police are currently seeking a third party appraisal agency to identify the truth behind this accident and we will actively provide any necessary assistance."
Tesla has been facing ongoing criticism over the performance of the brakes on its vehicles in China. Things came to a head in April last year when a Tesla customer made a scene during a Shanghai auto show and a "The brakes don't work" video went viral. At the time, a Tesla VP for China suggested the protest was staged. Meanwhile, a Nio electric vehicle was driven out of a third-floor window in Shanghai earlier this year.