Federal safety authorities are currently seeking information regarding a collision involving a Tesla Cybertruck that resulted in the death of the vehicle’s driver.
On Wednesday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced that it is collecting information from Tesla but has not yet sent crash investigators or opened a formal investigation. The agency has not clarified if it is looking into the cause of the fire or whether the driver was using Tesla’s partially automated driving system at the time of the accident.
The fatal incident, which occurred early Monday in the Baytown area of Chambers County, Texas, is reportedly the first known death involving the Tesla Cybertruck since its release on November 30.
According to KHOU-TV, the truck left the road, struck a concrete culvert, and subsequently caught fire. The Texas Department of Public Safety is investigating the crash, but as of Wednesday, Tesla or state authorities had not officially commented.
The Tesla Cybertruck has been scrutinized before. Two recalls were issued in June to address issues with loose trim pieces and malfunctioning front windshield wipers. To date, the vehicle has been recalled four times since its debut.
