In a heart-wrenching legal action, the parents of a college student who tragically died in a California car crash last year have sued Tesla. Their lawsuit claims that the unique design of the Cybertruck’s doors made it almost impossible for their daughter to escape the burning wreckage, trapping her inside.
Filed in a California court by the family of 19-year-old Krysta Tsukahara, the lawsuit brings to light persistent concerns regarding the operation of doors across many Tesla models. These concerns are already under scrutiny by federal auto safety regulators, who launched an investigation in September. This legal challenge represents yet another significant blow to the Cybertruck, a vehicle that has faced disappointing sales and a troubling record of eight recalls since its launch last year.
Tesla revolutionized automotive design with its push-button car doors, a feature that has since been adopted by other manufacturers, especially in electric vehicles. While electronic doors contribute to a sleek, high-tech aesthetic and slightly improve aerodynamics by eliminating protruding exterior handles, their operational safety in emergencies is now being critically questioned.
Crucially, the electronic door latches in Tesla vehicles are powered by a separate 12-volt battery, distinct from the high-voltage battery that powers the vehicle’s propulsion system. This design means that if a crash severs the power supply, the electronic door mechanisms may completely fail, leaving occupants stranded.
Krysta Tsukahara, a student at the Savannah College of Art and Design, was a rear-seat passenger in a Cybertruck driven by Soren Dixon. The vehicle crashed at high speed into a tree in Piedmont, California, a suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area. Both Mr. Dixon, 19, and fellow rear-seat passenger Jack Nelson, 20, a University of Colorado, Boulder student, were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
The lawsuit alleges that Krysta Tsukahara initially sustained only minor injuries from the impact of the crash. However, she tragically succumbed to burns and smoke inhalation after the Cybertruck’s battery ignited. The family’s legal team contends she was unable to escape because the manual door release mechanisms were incredibly difficult to locate and operate in the chaos of the emergency.
According to the lawsuit filed by her parents, Carl and Noelle Tsukahara, Krysta endured “unimaginable pain and emotional distress” while trapped by the fire, a situation that ultimately resulted in her death.
Speaking from the family’s home in Piedmont, Mr. Tsukahara expressed his profound belief that if escaping the burning Cybertruck hadn’t been so challenging, “she’d be alive today.”
To open the Cybertruck’s rear doors, passengers are required to lift a rubber mat located at the bottom of the door’s storage pocket and then pull a hidden cable. The lawsuit critically states that the Cybertruck “lacked a functional, accessible, and conspicuous manual door release mechanism, fail-safe, or other redundant system for emergency egress,” effectively trapping occupants.
Remarkably, a friend who was driving behind the Cybertruck managed to save a fourth passenger from the front seat by breaking the window with a tree branch.
This lawsuit deals another significant blow to Tesla’s reputation, following an August verdict in Florida where a jury ordered the company to pay $243 million in damages. That previous case involved a crash linked to Tesla’s driver assistance system, with the jury determining that the company’s software contributed to an accident in 2019 that resulted in one fatality and another severe injury.
Tesla has not provided comments regarding the lawsuit, neither this week nor following its initial filing.
In the Piedmont incident, Tesla is expected to contend that the accident was the fault of the Cybertruck’s driver, Mr. Dixon. A coroner’s report indicated that he was intoxicated and had consumed cocaine and amphetamines. Additionally, the company may assert that the doors failed to open due to structural damage from the crash, rather than an inherent design flaw.
While electric vehicles generally have a lower risk of catching fire compared to gasoline-powered cars, when their batteries do ignite, the resulting blazes are notoriously intense. Flames can rapidly consume a vehicle, making swift escape or rescue absolutely critical.
Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla’s chief designer, acknowledged these concerns in a September interview on Bloomberg’s “Hot Pursuit” podcast, stating that the company is actively developing new door designs to facilitate easier opening in the event of a power loss.
He confirmed on the podcast that “That’s something we are working on, and it’s in the car soon,” suggesting upcoming improvements.
The Tsukahara family’s lawsuit asserts that the dangerous shortcomings in Tesla’s door latch designs have been evident for many years. Despite this, the company allegedly failed to implement necessary improvements, even in its latest vehicle, the Cybertruck.
According to the suit, “For more than a decade before the crash, Tesla had repeated and direct notice that its reliance on electronic door systems created a serious risk of entrapment.” The lawsuit highlights numerous documented cases by owners, bystanders, and first responders where Tesla occupants survived the initial impact of a crash, only to find themselves unable to escape when the electrical system failed and a fire broke out.
Last year, Tesla reached a settlement in a lawsuit filed by the family of Kevin McCarthy, the CEO of an Indiana software firm. McCarthy died after a Tesla Model S, driven by one of his employees, crashed into a tree and subsequently caught fire.
In that 2016 Indianapolis crash, the driver was killed instantly. However, witnesses recounted seeing Mr. McCarthy desperately struggling to exit the front passenger side of the vehicle moments before it was consumed by flames.
“Ours is not an isolated case,” stated Mr. Tsukahara, whose family is represented by Roger Dreyer of the Sacramento firm Dreyer Babich Buccola Wood Campora. He added, referencing Tesla’s immense valuation, “This company is worth a trillion dollars. How can you release a machine that’s not safe in so many ways?”
Federal regulators launched a separate investigation into Tesla’s doors in September. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is specifically scrutinizing 2021 Tesla Model Y SUVs following numerous complaints from owners. These owners reported being unable to open rear doors after exiting the front, with four incidents requiring them to smash windows to rescue trapped children.
Other major automakers, such as Ford, Toyota, and Stellantis (the parent company of Jeep), have also incorporated electronic doors into their vehicles. However, these companies have implemented diverse designs that ensure manual door operation is possible during power failures or other emergencies.
For instance, some Lexus models with electronic door handles can be opened manually by pulling the handle twice, and they also feature an external manual release tab. Similarly, Volkswagen’s electric ID.4 allows for manual door operation simply by applying more force to the handle.
In a proactive safety measure, Ford’s electric Mustang Mach E and certain Jeep models integrate a capacitor near the door mechanism. This component is designed to retain sufficient power to operate the doors even if the main battery system fails, as confirmed by the respective companies.
The tragic Piedmont crash sent shockwaves through the quiet, affluent community nestled in the Oakland hills. This residential area, characterized by winding streets, manicured ranch homes, and a notable prevalence of Teslas, has been profoundly affected.
Mr. Tsukahara somberly reflected on the enduring impact of the tragedy, stating, “Our life is never going to be the same, and there are other families just like us.”