US regulator to probe Vietnamese automaker after crash in California in which four died
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The police said the driver in the single-vehicle accident appeared to have lost control and collided with a large oak tree, and that speed may have been a factor.
PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
WASHINGTON – US auto safety investigators said on May 20 they will investigate the April crash of a VinFast VF 8 electric vehicle in Pleasanton, California, in which a family of four died.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the investigation will probe the April 24 crash circumstances and the ensuing fire. A complaint filed with the agency said steering may have been an issue in the crash that killed a couple, along with their children, aged 13 and nine.
Pleasanton police said the driver in the single-vehicle accident appeared to have lost control and collided with a large oak tree, and that speed may have been a factor.
Vietnamese automaker VinFast, which started selling vehicles in the United States in 2023, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
NHTSA typically opens more than 100 special crash investigations annually into emerging technologies and other potential auto safety issues.
The complaint filed with NHTSA after the crash said the steering wheel automatically manoeuvred to the right direction, but the driver was able to regain control of the steering wheel. The police told local media that the family did not own the car.
TechCrunch reported the investigation earlier on May 20. REUTERS
