Tesla Found Partially Liable for Fatal Autopilot Incident

A jury in Florida has determined that Tesla, the American electric vehicle manufacturer, shares responsibility for a tragic accident that occurred in 2019. The incident took place in Key Largo when a Tesla Model S, operating with its Autopilot feature engaged, sped through a stop sign, resulting in the deaths and injuries of pedestrians.

The accident involved a woman who lost her life and her partner, who sustained severe head injuries. The driver involved in the crash claimed to have been relying on the Autopilot system and took his eyes off the road to retrieve his mobile phone. In contrast, Tesla contended that the driver was solely to blame for the incident, as he accelerated and effectively disabled the Autopilot feature.

The jury awarded a total of $129 million in damages to the victims' families and the surviving partner, with Tesla being responsible for one-third of this amount. This decision came despite the jury assigning primary responsibility to the driver, who was not named in the lawsuit and thus is not liable for any financial compensation. Furthermore, the jury imposed an additional punitive damages award of $200 million against Tesla, which the company will bear entirely.

The jury concluded that Tesla sold a vehicle with a critical safety defect that contributed to the accident. They criticized the Autopilot system for being designed primarily for highway use, yet allowed to operate on roads that require more attentive driving. The plaintiffs also pointed to statements made by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has portrayed the Autopilot as superior to human driving capabilities. Evidence from a prior case revealed Musk's involvement in a promotional video from 2016 that exaggerated the system's capabilities.

In response to the verdict, Tesla announced plans to appeal, citing procedural errors and irregularities during the trial. The company maintains that the Autopilot was not the cause of the accident and asserts that no vehicle could have prevented the collision. Tesla further warned that such a ruling could hinder the advancement of innovative safety technologies.