“Cooperating with authorities,” says Mercedes-Benz; collects encrypted data from Cyrus Mistry’s car

German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz - whose GLC 220d 4MATIC was involved in the crash which claimed the life of Cyrus Mistry, the former chairman of Tata Sons and a scion of the promoter family of the Shapoorji Pallonji Group - has issued a statement assuring that the company is fully compliant with the law-enforcing agencies. “We are deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Mr. Cyrus Mistry and Mr. Jehangir Pandole in the unfortunate road accident. As a responsible brand respecting customer privacy, our team is cooperating with the authorities where possible, and we will provide any clarifications to them directly as required,” Mercedes-Benz says in a statement.

“Officials from the Mercedes-Benz company visited and collected the encrypted data from the accident-hit car. The data will be analysed, decrypted and will be shared with police for further investigation,” Sanjay Mohite, Inspector General of Police, Konkan range, tells a news agency. Mohite also says that there will also be an investigation into other details like the car's tyre pressure and brake fluid level to ascertain the cause of the accident. “Low brake fluid causes air to fill the gaps in the brake line, leading to soft brakes. Spongy brake pedals can be dangerous,” he adds.

German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz - whose GLC 220d 4MATIC was involved in the crash which claimed the life of Cyrus Mistry, the former chairman of Tata Sons and a scion of the promoter family of the Shapoorji Pallonji Group - has issued a statement assuring that the company is fully compliant with the law-enforcing agencies. “We are deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Mr. Cyrus Mistry and Mr. Jehangir Pandole in the unfortunate road accident. As a responsible brand respecting customer privacy, our team is cooperating with the authorities where possible, and we will provide any clarifications to them directly as required,” Mercedes-Benz says in a statement.

“Officials from the Mercedes-Benz company visited and collected the encrypted data from the accident-hit car. The data will be analysed, decrypted and will be shared with police for further investigation,” Sanjay Mohite, Inspector General of Police, Konkan range, tells a news agency. Mohite also says that there will also be an investigation into other details like the car's tyre pressure and brake fluid level to ascertain the cause of the accident. “Low brake fluid causes air to fill the gaps in the brake line, leading to soft brakes. Spongy brake pedals can be dangerous,” he adds.

The 54-year-old Mistry was among the four passengers involved in the crash on the Surya river bridge in the neighbouring Palghar district in Maharashtra. A police official had earlier said that overspeeding and an "error of judgement" by the driver caused the accident. However, it is alleged that the culvert on the river has a sudden change in the width of the road, and Dr. Anahita Pandole—who was behind the wheel of Mistry’s car—missed the L-shaped concrete parapet. Locals also allege that this is a blind spot and is the site of many accidents over the years.

Mistry’s death has sprung lawmakers into action to avert accidents like this from happening in the future. Nitin Gadkari, the union minister of road transport and highways, has said that there will be a provision to penalise drivers if passengers in the backseat of a car are not wearing seatbelts. Gadkari also adds that the government is in talks with carmakers to add an alert which would be triggered in case passengers don’t wear seatbelts in the backseat. “If car passengers have not put on their seat belts, there will be a beep sound like it is for the driver seat,” he adds.