A fatal accident involving a Tesla Model S occurred when a speeding driver hit a tree, with the company denying that the car’s Autopilot software was engaged at the time.
Sky News reports that the unnamed 53-year-old driver died around 40 kilometres east of Amsterdam. According to the car maker, the car’s log showed the man was travelling at 154.5 kilometres per hour.
“We are working with the authorities to establish the facts of the incident and offer our full cooperation,” said Tesla in a statement.
Emergency services workers were instructed not to remove the man from the wreck for several hours, due to fears they may have been electrocuted.
“The car was so badly damaged that the firefighters could not operate its security systems,” spokesman Ronald Boer is quoted as saying.
The car’s log also showed the Autopilot system had not been engaged during the trip.
Tesla’s Autopilot system has been in the spotlight, following the death of a Florida driver in May who was using the driver-assisting software.