Option 2 sounds very plausible. It seems the authorities on the scene were pretty convinced no one was in the driver's seat when it crashed, so maybe there's s

Option 2 sounds very plausible. It seems the authorities on the scene were pretty convinced no one was in the driver's seat when it crashed, so maybe there's some convincing evidence that they haven't divulged. As far as exiting the vehicle goes, hand-crank windows seem like they'd be a lot safer, as they continue to function even if there isn't any power. I don't know if it would have mattered in this particular case, but I think it's a good idea to maximize the number of ways one could exit a potentially-burning car, whether it's powered by gas or batteries. Strange that society (car buyers, manufacturers, and regulators) make this trade-off of decreased safety because window cranks seem cheap, dorky, and old-fashioned.