Tesla wins lawsuit against woman who alleged brake failure caused accident
A woman surnamed Li, one of the protesters who alleged brake failures of Tesla cars at the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition in April 2021, was ordered to issue a public apology to Tesla and compensate for the losses by a court, Phoenix News reported on Wednesday.
It was reported that Li was driving a Tesla when she had a traffic accident in March 2021. On April 19, Li and another female Tesla car owner surnamed Zhang, from the central Henan Province, appeared at the Tesla exhibition booth at Auto Shanghai, wearing customized T-shirts with the words "brake failure" and Tesla's logo.
Zhang stood on top of one of the exhibited Tesla cars and shouted "Tesla brakes failed me" repeatedly. She was later detained by the local police and Li received a warning.
Zhang stands on top of a Tesla car at the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition on April 19, 2021, to draw attention to her and Li's allegations of brake failure.
Tesla brought Li to a lawsuit, accusing her of damaging its reputation.
During the suit, the Weiyang District People's Court in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, engaged a judicial appraisal institution to inspect Li's Model 3 vehicle. The appraisal confirmed the normal and effective condition of the braking system, complying with relevant technical standards for vehicle operation and safety inspection.
According to the court ruling obtained by Phoenix News, Li was responsible for infringing on Tesla's reputation. She must delete all comments and remarks on her Sina Weibo account that have damaged the reputation of Tesla within 10 days of the judgment taking effect.
She must also issue a written apology to Tesla (Shanghai) Co Ltd on her Sina Weibo account and compensate the plaintiff for economic losses and legal costs incurred, totaling 2,000 yuan (US$280). She will also have to pay the appraisal fee of 20,000 yuan.
