PARIS — The lawyer for a taxi driver concerned in a deadly accident in Paris on the weekend stated the driving force’s Tesla Mannequin 3 had accelerated by itself and that its brakes had not labored.

Paris taxi firm G7 suspended the usage of 37 Tesla Mannequin 3 vehicles in its fleet after the accident on Saturday, whereas it awaited the outcomes of a police investigation into the reason for the accident. One individual was killed and 20 injured, three of them severely.

Tesla has informed the French authorities there was no indication that the accident was attributable to a technical fault, a authorities spokesman stated.

“He (the taxi driver) has defined to the law enforcement officials that the automobile had accelerated by itself and that he didn’t reach activating the brakes, the brakes didn’t work regardless of his finest efforts,” lawyer Sarah Saldmann informed Reuters.

She stated the wreckage of the automobile was being investigated by police, who had discovered the USB key which data the automobile’s exercise within the glove compartment.

After the driving force was briefly hospitalized for minor accidents after which held for questioning for 48 hours, he was positioned beneath formal investigation on Wednesday for suspected involuntary manslaughter, Saldmann stated.

Below French regulation, a proper investigation means there may be “severe or constant proof” implicating a suspect in a criminal offense. It’s one step nearer to a trial, however such investigations will be dropped.

The driving force stays beneath judicial management and is banned from driving for now. Saldmann stated exams confirmed the driving force had not been inebriated, medication or medication.

The driving force, born in 1964, has been a taxi driver for the reason that 90s and has by no means been concerned in an accident like this one, she stated. He purchased the brand new automobile three months in the past, she stated.

Final 12 months, the U.S. auto security regulator opened a proper evaluation into over 200 complaints about sudden acceleration of Tesla vehicles, however the regulator later stated it discovered no defects in Tesla’s programs, saying the accidents have been attributable to “pedal misapplication.”

Tesla, which is on the forefront of {the electrical} and self-driving automobile revolution and has a market worth of almost $1 trillion, has not responded to requests for remark.