Celebrity racer’s Tesla Model X crashes in China

Taiwanese celebrity Lin Chih-ying’s Tesla Model X crashed and burned on Friday, 22nd July, 2022. The multi-talented actor, singer, and race car driver was in the car with his son when he lost control of the car causing it to crash onto a road barrier and burning immediately. Lin is China’s first ever professional racer and has participated in several races all across the globe. 

Moments after the incident  happened, the video of the incident started circulating over social media. The car seemed to suffer heavy damage and burns in the front panel.

The local police took quick action taking Lin and his son to the nearby hospital as soon as possible as the father-son duo suffered head and facial injuries. Both seem to be safe as of now. Even though the local authorities have claimed that Lin was not drunk while the accident happened, it was however his mistake altogether. It was explained that the car in front of Lin’s car had a situation which the driver did not pay attention to, thus leading to the accident. 

In response to the accident, the Tesla customer service care in China told a local newspaper the Economic View, “The cause of the fire cannot be confirmed for the time being. In case of emergency, the main and co-pilot seat have devices to mechanically open the door, which can forcibly unlock the door in case of power failure. Passengers in the rear row can escape through the trunk.” 

This news comes two days after a jury in Florida held Tesla just 1% responsible for a crash involving yet another father son duo. The incident in question occurred in 2018 when an 18-year-old driver lost control of a Tesla while traveling at a speed of roughly 116 miles per hour, crashing into a concrete wall and killing both himself and the passenger. It is the first court case involving a tragic accident involving one of Tesla’s vehicles. 

Even though the incident seems like the driver’s fault, safety concerns regarding Tesla’s cars all over the globe are rising. According to the media site mzone, as of 2021, Tesla had been involved in more than 100 fatal car accidents globally. The US Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that loss of vehicle control was a factor in 200 incidents involving Tesla in the US. A abrupt acceleration or slowdown, pedal failure, steering wheel failure, or the driver’s inability to take control of the vehicle in a timely manner are all considered to be “out of control.”