Electric vehicle maker Tesla has suffered a major legal blow over the driver assistance technology, known as Autopilot. A federal court jury in Miami has ruled that Tesla is partly to blame for a fatal crash that occurred in 2019. They’re best known for awarding the plaintiffs $329 million in damages. The crash claimed the life of 20-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon and left her boyfriend Dillon Angulo fighting for his life.
This was during a time when Tesla’s Autopilot system was engaged. Driver Walter Huang was said to have been playing a mobile game at the time of the crash. Yet the jury found, as its first decision, that Huang was to blame for two-thirds of the crash. At the same time, Tesla was assigned one-third of the liability. There are numerous recent warnings, complaints, and lawsuits that driver assistance systems are not only dangerous but defective.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has been candid about the challenges related to driver over-reliance on these technologies. During a 2018 earnings call, Musk further addressed how drivers misjudge what Autopilot can do. These statements mirror worries that the public will come to overly depend on automated technologies, which can result in deadly repercussions.
“They just get too used to it. That tends to be more of an issue. It’s not a lack of understanding of what Autopilot can do. It’s [drivers] thinking they know more about Autopilot than they do.” – Elon Musk
The jury’s decision comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Tesla’s marketing and promotion of self-driving technology. Critics argue that Musk has elevated Tesla’s market valuation, now exceeding one trillion dollars, while neglecting the potential risks associated with its driver assistance features. Brett Schreiber, an attorney for the plaintiffs, condemned Tesla’s dismissal of safety.
“Tesla’s lies turned our roads into test tracks for their fundamentally flawed technology, putting everyday Americans like Naibel Benavides and Dillon Angulo in harm’s way.” – Brett Schreiber
Tesla has vigorously contested the jury’s conclusions. In response, they claim that no car, not one manufactured in 2019 or today, could have avoided the collision. The company claims that Huang’s use of Autopilot was the primary cause of the crash. In addition, it’s bolstering its commitment to developing innovative technologies to help make our roadways safer.
Responding to the unexpected verdict, Tesla said it was disappointed and that it found the decision to be against the interests of automotive safety initiatives.
“Today’s verdict is wrong and only works to set back automotive safety and jeopardize Tesla’s and the entire industry’s efforts to develop and implement life-saving technology.” – Tesla
This case should be a new beginning for Tesla. It goes further, influencing the whole automotive industry as it addresses what’s necessary for widespread use of advanced driver assistance systems. As manufacturers continue to innovate and experiment with new technologies, these questions about accountability and safety will continue to arise.