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Paris taxi firm suspends Teslas after fatal accident

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
Paris taxi firm suspends Teslas after fatal accident
Tesla taxis are better for the environment than petrol or diesel powered vehicles. But a fatal accident in France has drawn the car manufacturer into hot water. (Photo by Eric PIERMONT / AFP)

After a horrific accident in Paris over the weekend, taxi company G7 has said that they are decommissioning all Tesla Model 3 cars from service. This is not the first time that the electric powered vehicles have proved controversial.

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The biggest taxi firm in Paris said Tuesday it was suspending the use of Model 3 Teslas in its fleet after a fatal accident in the French capital at the weekend.

A driver lost control of his Tesla on Saturday night in the southeastern 13th district of Paris, killing one person and injuring 20, with three people fighting for their lives in intensive care.

Paris prosecutors on Saturday opened an investigation into charges of manslaughter and unintentional injuries.

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Given the speed and the trajectory of the vehicle, which struck multiple objects as it careened down the street, there were initially suspicions of a malfunction such as a stuck accelerator.

The G7 taxi company, which claims to be the biggest firm in Europe on its website, said 37 of its drivers used the Tesla Model 3, and other Tesla models would remain in service.

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After checking the crashed vehicle's data remotely, Tesla denied any technical problem with the car.

When contacted by AFP, the US group said it would share all details with French authorities if requested.

Tesla's safety record has been questioned in the past over a series of fatal accidents linked to its cars' Autopilot driver assistance programme, which can steer, brake and accelerate a vehicle on its own.

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