Parents of student who died in burning Tesla Cybertruck sue company

The parents of 19-year-old Krista Tsukahara have filed a lawsuit against Tesla, accusing Elon Musk’s company of their daughter’s death. They claim that the girl could have survived the accident if it were not for the complex design of the doors, which blocked the exit from the burning car.

• The tragedy occurred in California, in the city of Piedmont. The Cybertruck, driven by 19-year-old Soren Dixon, crashed into a tree at high speed. According to the investigation, the driver was under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

• Krista Tsukahara received only minor injuries as a result of the collision, but died from burns and smoke after the electric car’s battery caught fire. According to the parents, the girl could not find the manual door opening and was effectively trapped. Another passenger died on the spot, and the fourth was saved by a friend who broke the Tesla window.

The lawsuit states that Tesla knew about the problem with the doors, which depend on the power supply, for years and did not make any structural changes. The manufacturer first introduced a system of doors that open with a button, but in the event of a fire or power outage, this system is blocked.

In recent years, Tesla has repeatedly found itself at the center of scandals due to unsafe technical solutions. In August, a Florida court awarded $240 million in compensation to the family of another victim of a similar accident. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently investigating complaints about the 2021 Model Y, where passengers were locked inside after the door opening system broke down.

Despite this, Tesla continues to use its proprietary design, which was later imitated by other automakers — Ford, Toyota, Stellantis — but with additional emergency mechanisms.

The lawsuit by the Tsukahara family could become a precedent that will force automakers to reconsider safety standards in electric vehicles. The situation demonstrates that even the most advanced technologies can be deadly if they neglect the basic principles of physical access to save a person.