A Cybertruck driver died Monday in the first recorded fatal crash involving Tesla’s electric vehicle.
Police said the crash happened late Monday in Chambers County, Texas. Officers said the Cybertruck driver lost control for an unknown reason and crashed into a concrete culvert.
The Cybertruck caught on fire shortly after the crash, and the driver died at the scene. Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.
The Cybertruck cannot access Tesla’s Autopilot or Full Self-Driving software.
Monday’s crash marks the first recorded fatality of a Cybertruck driver as the futuristic-looking vehicles become more common on U.S. roadways. According to estimates, Tesla has sold nearly 20,000 Cybertrucks.
The fatality comes during speculation about the Cybertruck’s safety. The vehicle has undergone several recalls since it launched last year, including a hardware recall for a faulty accelerator pedal.
Since the Cybertruck’s debut, consumers and safety experts have raised concerns about the safety of the Cybertruck’s stainless steel shell.
According to Tesla, the vehicle was designed for toughness and the stainless steel exterior should help the car withstand serious impact.
However, the rigidity of the design could affect how the vehicle’s crumple zones distribute energy in a crash, experts say.
The Cybertruck has not yet been independently crash tested, meaning consumers must take Tesla’s word that the vehicle is safe in collisions.
Tesla’s crash testing record for its other EVs is excellent, with the company boasting that its cars feature the lowest overall probability of injury of any vehicle tested under U.S. standards.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
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