Four individuals lost their lives in a Tesla accident near Niort, France on the late evening of Saturday, October 12, 2024. The vehicle reportedly veered off the course, collided with a road sign, and subsequently caught fire, as shared by local law enforcement. The severe burns sustained by the victims in the western region of France have made identification challenging.
The specifics of the accident are still under investigation, as confirmed by Lieutenant Eric Hoarau, a spokesperson for the local police. “Everything suggests [the vehicle] came off the road,” Hoarau stated, citing evidence including tire marks and a damaged road sign at the crash site. The absence of eyewitness accounts has further complicated the probe into this fatal incident.
The fact that the vehicle involved was a Tesla has raised questions about its Autopilot system, which has come under scrutiny following a string of accidents over the past few years. A Wall Street Journal investigation revealed that Tesla’s Autopilot technology leans heavily on computer vision rather than lidar sensors (light detection and ranging). Some experts believe this reliance may contribute to such accidents, as many Autopilot-related incidents were linked to unexpected veering or failure to recognize obstacles.
This incident is part of a growing list of similar Tesla crashes worldwide, with numerous fatal incidents involving post-collision fires. For example, in April 2021, a Tesla Model S in The Woodlands, Texas collided with a tree and caught fire, resulting in two fatalities. Investigation into the high-speed accident initially suggested the Autopilot was activated, although this claim was later disputed by Tesla.
In a separate incident, a Tesla Model X driver lost his life in Mountain View, California, in March 2018 following a crash into a barrier. The vehicle’s Autopilot system was reportedly on at the time, and subsequent investigations criticized its design for overdependence on camera-based systems without adequate driver supervision. These accidents underline potential concerns about Tesla’s Autopilot system and the risk of serious safety failures during its operation.
As the investigation into the France incident continues, authorities are striving to identify the victims and establish the cause of the crash.