A U.S. jury in Florida has ordered electric car manufacturer Tesla to pay nearly $243 million in damages over a fatal 2019 crash allegedly linked to the company’s Autopilot driver-assist technology.
The ruling, issued on Friday, came in response to a lawsuit filed by the families of victims Neibiel Benavides Leon, who died in the crash, and his partner Dillon Angulo, who was seriously injured.
According to media reports, the lawsuit claimed Tesla’s Autopilot system was partly to blame when driver George McGee’s Tesla vehicle collided with a Chevrolet SUV, leading to Leon’s death and injuries to Angulo.
Attorney Darren Jeffrey Russo, representing the families, stated that the jury found Tesla’s Autopilot system partially responsible for the crash. As per court documents, the jury awarded $200 million in punitive damages, along with $59 million to Leon’s family and $70 million to Angulo as compensatory damages.
However, since Tesla was found only one-third liable, the compensation amount will be reduced proportionately. After adjustments, the total payout from Tesla is expected to be approximately $242.5 million.
Commenting on the verdict, Russo said, “Justice has been served. The jury heard all the evidence and delivered a fair and just verdict in favor of our clients.”
Tesla’s legal team announced that they will appeal the decision. The company criticized the ruling, stating:
“Today’s verdict is incorrect and undermines the progress of vehicle safety. It threatens the development and implementation of life-saving technologies across the industry.”
Tesla maintains that the crash was entirely the driver’s fault. The company claimed the driver was speeding and had his foot on the accelerator—actions that disable Autopilot—and was distracted while reaching for a dropped phone.
“In short,” Tesla added, “no car in 2019—or even today—could have prevented this accident. This was never an Autopilot issue. Source : Reuters
