Tesla Hit with $200 Million Verdict in Autopilot Crash Lawsuit
A Miami jury found Tesla, Elon Musk’s car company, partially liable for a fatal crash in Florida linked to its Autopilot driver assist technology, ordering the company to pay over USD 200 million in punitive damages to the victims. A federal jury determined that Tesla held substantial responsibility due to its technology’s failure, asserting that the blame cannot rest solely on a reckless driver, even one who acknowledged being distracted by his cell phone prior to colliding with a young couple stargazing.
The decision concludes a four-year case notable not only for its outcome but also for reaching the trial stage. Numerous comparable cases against Tesla have been dismissed, and when they were not, the company opted to settle to evade the scrutiny of a trial. Musk’s decision aims to assure Americans of the safety of his cars for autonomous driving, as he prepares to launch a driverless taxi service in multiple cities in the upcoming months. “This will open the floodgates,” said Miguel Custodio, a car crash lawyer not involved in the Tesla case. It will encourage many individuals to seek justice in court.
The case featured alarming allegations from the attorneys representing the family of the deceased, 22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon, as well as her injured boyfriend, Dillon Angulo. They alleged that Tesla either concealed or misplaced crucial evidence, including data and video captured moments before the accident. Tesla has faced criticism for being slow to provide crucial data requested by relatives of victims in Tesla crashes, accusations the car company has denied.
The plaintiffs demonstrated that Tesla possessed the evidence from the beginning, despite its ongoing denials, by employing a forensic data expert who uncovered it. Tesla acknowledged a mistake after reviewing the evidence, stating they genuinely had not considered its existence. The impact of the verdict in the Miami case on Tesla’s safety reputation remains uncertain. Tesla has significantly enhanced its technology since the accident on a dark, rural road in Key Largo, Florida, in 2019.
