Family of lawyer killed in Tesla crash sues automaker over suspected sudden acceleration
A Tesla electric vehicle is severely damaged after crashing into a wall and catching fire in an underground parking lot in Yongsan District, Seoul, Dec. 9, 2020. Courtesy of Yongsan Fire Station
The family of a lawyer who died in a 2020 Tesla Model X crash in Seoul has filed a lawsuit against Tesla’s U.S. headquarters and its Korean subsidiary, alleging sudden unintended acceleration and vehicle defects.
Attorney Ha Jong-seon, representing the victim’s family, held a press conference on Thursday and announced that a civil complaint had been filed with the Seoul Central District Court a day earlier.
The case centers on a fatal accident that occurred on Dec. 9, 2020, when a Tesla Model X crashed into the wall of an underground parking garage in Yongsan District, Seoul.
At the time, the vehicle was being driven by a chauffeur, identified as Choi, while attorney Yoon, a passenger in the car, was killed in the crash and ensuing fire.
The family claims that telematics monitoring data retrieved from the vehicle raises serious questions about the cause of the accident.
According to the data, the accelerator pedal was allegedly pressed at 100 percent displacement for six seconds, yet the vehicle’s speed increased by only 39 kilometers per hour — from 55.84 to 94.95 kilometers per hour — a discrepancy they argue indicates the driver may have been pressing the brakes instead.
“Normally, we would rely on Event Data Recorder data in such cases, but the fire destroyed it on impact,” Ha said. “However, this Tesla vehicle transmitted operational data via telematics to the company’s server, allowing us to review the vehicle’s speed and pedal input just before the crash.”
Ha added that the Tesla Model X in question is capable of accelerating from zero to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds.
“If the accelerator had really been fully pressed for six seconds, the car should have gone much faster. This inconsistency strongly suggests the driver was braking.”
Firefighters respond to a blaze after a Tesla electric car crashes into a wall and catches fire in the underground parking lot of an apartment complex in Yongsan District, Seoul, Dec. 9, 2020. Courtesy of Yongsan Fire Station
The lawsuit also claims that the vehicle’s safety systems failed during the crash. The automatic emergency braking system and airbags reportedly did not activate, and none of the vehicle’s doors or trunk could be opened, delaying rescue efforts.
Ha argued that under Korea’s Product Liability Act, if a defect is suspected during normal vehicle operation, it is presumed to exist. The chauffeur was previously convicted and sentenced to one year in prison for negligent driving under Korea’s traffic laws.
The lawsuit marks the first legal action by the victim’s family and could reignite broader safety concerns about Tesla’s vehicles in Korea.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.