A female Tesla owner climbs atop the roof of a red Model 3 in Tesla's booth at the Shanghai Auto Show, repeatedly protesting the car maker's brake malfunction in Shanghai, China, April 19, 2021. /CFP
U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla will provide driving data of an accident involving a woman who created a social media stir and caught authorities' attention in China, the company said in a Weibo post at midnight Wednesday, adding it will fully cooperate and bear all costs of an inspection.
After a woman climbed on top of a car at the Tesla booth on Monday and accused the car maker of a brake malfunction at the Shanghai Auto Show, the Administration for Market Regulation in Zhengzhou City, central China's Henan Province, on Wednesday ordered Tesla to provide the complete driving data for the 30 minutes before this woman's alleged accident.
The State Administration for Market Regulation also said on Wednesday it attached great importance to the incident, and has instructed the market supervision and management departments in Henan Province, Shanghai Municipality and other places to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of consumers in accordance with the law.
The body also emphasized that companies must fulfill their responsibility for quality and safety standards, and provide consumers with high-quality and safe products and services.
On Tuesday, Tesla apologized for not addressing the customer's complaint in a timely manner and said it would conduct a self-inspection of its service and operations in China – a U-turn from its tough stance at the outset claiming they would not "compromise on unreasonable demands" late Monday.
Before Tesla's apology, the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, a high-level watchdog overseeing China's legal apparatus, posted a commentary on its official WeChat account, saying that Tesla China was ignoring rising concerns by consumers about Tesla car accidents, which raised questions about the company's responsibilities to customers.
"Tesla has to face up to the torment of its Chinese customers" and stop "pretending to be oblivious to hidden dangers of which it's well aware," the commission said.
The woman, surnamed Zhang, had protested against the company since early March, while she was detained for "disrupting public order" by Shanghai police after protesting at Tesla's exhibition booth.
Zhang stands in front of her crashed white Model 3, a streamer with the words "The Tesla's brakes don't work," are written across the car in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China, March 10, 2021. /CFP
One of Zhang's companions, with the Weibo username "Anbaojia," posted an apology on Tuesday for their improper way of invading Tesla's exhibition.
However, Anbaojia stated that they would provide evidence proving quality problems with Tesla's cars, and wanted to help other consumers in the future.
Another video showing a Tesla sedan catching fire in Guangzhou, southern China's Guangdong Province went viral on Tuesday. The car hit a concrete bridge on the side of the road during the accident.
The Guangzhou police said the accident is under investigation.