A Vietnamese-made electric vehicle is now under review by federal investigators after one of its models was involved in a fiery crash that killed a family of four in Pleasanton, California.
Tarun George and his wife, Rincy George, both 41, and their sons Rowan, 13, and Aaron, 9, died when their VinFast VF 8 crashed on April 24. As they were traveling on Foothill Road in Pleasanton around 9 p.m., their car “appeared to have lost control and hit a large oak tree,” according to a report from the Pleasanton Police Department.
Speed may have been a factor in the incident, according to police officers.
Investigators later discovered that the car hit a pole and then a tree, and that it caught fire immediately after the collisions. As the department was clearing the scene that night, the car allegedly restarted several times, according to KABC-TV.
VinFast is a Vietnam-based multinational automobile manufacturer that was founded in 2017.
For the record:
9:32 am May 24, 2024An earlier version of this article said the National Highway Traffic Safety Board was investigating the crash. It is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating the VinFast VF 8 in response to a complaint filed by a co-worker of one of the Georges.
In the complaint, the co-worker said the VF 8's software mistakenly turned the steering wheel to the right more than once when the co-worker was driving, pushing the car out of its lane. The co-worker, who was able to regain control of the steering wheel and maneuver the car into the correct lane, expressed concern about the cause of the George family's accident.
VinFast representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to the VinFast website, the VF 8 model comes equipped with “Advanced Driving Assistance” features, but it is unclear if they played a role in the accident.
