In the United States of America, Tesla was found guilty in a fatal road accident caused by an autopilot system. The court ordered the company to pay $329 million to the family of the deceased and the injured party. This was reported by CNN, according to UNN.
Details
A jury in Florida found Tesla guilty in a fatal 2019 road accident when a Model S electric car on autopilot crashed into a parked car.
It is noted that as a result of the accident, Naybel Benavides Leon died, and her ex-boyfriend Dillon Angulo suffered serious injuries. The court ordered Tesla to pay more than $329 million in compensation and fines – this is the first time the company's autopilot has been found to be involved in a fatal accident.
The investigation showed that the driver was distracted picking up his phone, did not stop at signs, and drove through the intersection at a speed of about 100 km/h. He stated that the autopilot did not warn him of the danger. Experts say that the jury delivered a verdict only because they found a defect in the autopilot software.
According to the plaintiffs, Tesla allowed the use of autopilot even outside highways, where the system works unreliably. Although Elon Musk previously assured that autopilot "drives better than humans," the company may now face new lawsuits.
Tesla has already announced its intention to appeal the decision. After the verdict, the company's shares fell, and Musk's plans to launch a robotaxi next year were jeopardized.
Recall
On April 2, 2025, a road accident occurred in Vinnytsia: a Tesla and a Honda collided. As a result of the accident, a 51-year-old Honda passenger died, and the drivers were hospitalized with injuries.