Samuel Tremblett, 20, was unable to open the Model Y's electric doors after collision; 911 recording records call for help
Tesla faces a new legal battle in the United States after the death of 20-year-old Samuel Tremblett. The young man died trapped inside a burning Model Y in the state of Massachusetts, in an incident that reignites the debate about the safety of the automaker’s electronic door handles. The lawsuit, recently filed by the family, maintains that the driver survived the initial impact of the collision, but was prevented from escaping by the locking of the electrical system of the doors.
Dramatic evidence supports the process: during the incident, Tremblett managed to call 911 and desperately reported that he was unable to get out of the vehicle as the fire raged. His body was later found in the back seat, indicating a failed escape attempt.
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Central to the accusation is the architecture of Tesla’s door handles. Unlike traditional mechanical systems, they rely on low-voltage power supply. If the battery or circuit is damaged in the impact – something common in serious accidents – the external doors become electronically inoperable. Although there is a manual emergency release mechanism, it is considered unintuitive and difficult to access in situations of extreme panic.
The history of similar incidents has put pressure on international regulators. China, the world’s largest electric market, has already determined that, as of 2027, vehicles with electronic retractable door handles will be banned from sale if they do not have easily accessible mechanical systems and direct operation in the event of a power failure.
Tesla has responded to previous criticism with software updates, programming automatic post-collision unlocking in recent updates. But for Tremblett’s family, the move came too late.
