Tesla Faces Lawsuit for Unintended Accelerations
February 18, 2020
Tesla is known worldwide as an innovator in the automobile industry, particularly for its advances in self-driving vehicle technology. However, the company has also faced several lawsuits after its vehicles were involved in car accidents, including some that involved fatalities. A new lawsuit was filed against Tesla recently, which alleged that certain Tesla vehicles engaged in sudden uncommanded acceleration (SUA). The eight vehicle owners involved in the lawsuit say that the SUA occurred in the Tesla Model S, the Tesla Model X, and the Tesla Model 3.
The lawsuit comes on the heels of a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) petition that cites 127 consumer complaints and 123 individual vehicles. This led to an investigation into 500,000 Tesla vehicles that had possible issues with unintended acceleration. The Tesla models being reviewed in the NHTSA petition are the same ones that are involved in the latest lawsuit. According to an NHTSA spokesperson, the agency received a defect petition citing sudden unintended acceleration in the three models mentioned. It is the agency’s standard practice to carefully review each petition and the relevant data.
Tesla Blames Drivers for SUA Incidents
In a statement from Tesla, the company claimed that the petition was brought by a short-seller, and that it is based on false information. The statement went on to say that the company thoroughly investigates every incident involving an allegation made by a driver that the vehicle accelerated on its own. The company argued that, in each of the incidents involved in the lawsuit, the vehicle accelerated only when the driver directed it to do so by applying the brakes. The company explained that the accelerator pedals in all three models have two independent position sensors. If there is an error, the system will cut off the motor torque. In addition, Tesla vehicles come with an autopilot sensor suite that can identify when a motorist is pressing the wrong pedal and cut engine torque.
However, several of the complaints in the petition specifically mention situations where the Tesla vehicle lurched forward, despite the driver not pressing the gas pedal. In fact, there was one instance involving the Tesla Model S 85D, where the vehicle was closed and locked when it began to accelerate toward the street and hit a parked car. Fortunately, no one was injured, but things could have turned out much differently if there was a pedestrian in the vicinity.
Baltimore Car Wreck Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Represent Victims of Defective Vehicles
If you or a loved one was seriously injured in a car accident involving unintended acceleration, you are urged to contact the Baltimore car wreck lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton at your earliest convenience. We will work closely with you to determine who is responsible for the accident. Our dedicated team will walk you through every step of the claims process and ensure that your legal rights are protected. We will not stop fighting for you until we have secured the maximum financial compensation you deserve. To schedule a free consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.
Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Prince George’s County, allowing us to represent accident victims in Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Prince George’s County, Queen Anne’s County, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.