The U.S. auto safety regulators have initiated an investigation into the tragic April crash of a VinFast VF 8 electric vehicle in Pleasanton, California, which claimed the lives of a family of four. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that the probe will examine the circumstances surrounding the April 24th accident and the subsequent fire.
A complaint filed with the agency on April 29 alleged that steering issues may have played a role in the crash that resulted in the deaths of a couple and their two children, aged 13 and 9.
According to the Pleasanton Police, the driver appeared to have lost control of the vehicle, colliding with a large oak tree, with speed potentially being a contributing factor.
VinFast, the Vietnamese automaker that commenced selling vehicles in the United States in 2023, has yet to comment on the incident.
Earlier this month, the Pleasanton Weekly quoted a VinFast spokesperson stating that the company was aware of the accident and that the authorities were investigating the cause, promising to share their findings upon the completion of their work.
The NHTSA typically initiates over 100 special crash investigations annually, focusing on emerging technologies and other potential auto safety concerns.
The complaint filed on April 29 by a coworker of the deceased driver raised concerns about a previous incident where the steering wheel unexpectedly veered to the right, prompting speculation that a similar steering issue may have occurred during the fatal crash.
The Pleasanton Police have disclosed that the family did not own the vehicle involved in the accident. TechCrunch first reported this on Monday.
In other news, a real estate services company, SPG Center LLC, has filed a lawsuit against Vietnam’s electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast in a California court. The complaint alleges that VinFast failed to pay rent for a store it had rented in a shopping center in Palo Alto.
According to the complaint, VinFast rented the premises starting from the end of March 2023 but stopped making rental payments from May 2023 through April 2024. The total amount due, as stated in the complaint filed on May 14 with the Superior Court of Santa Clara County, is nearly $356,000, equivalent to twelve months of rent. However, VinFast has claimed that the allegations made in the complaint are inaccurate.