Tesla Must Pay $243 Million Penalty After Autopilot-Enabled Crash Kills Woman In a significant verdict, a U.S. District judge has rejected Tesla's request to overturn a $243 million penalty handed down over a 2019 crash involving an Autopilot-equipped Model S. The crash, which resulted in the death of a 22-year-old woman and severe injuries to her boyfriend, marked the first fatal Autopilot-involved accident to go to trial. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Tesla Model S was traveling at 62 mph when it crashed into a parked Chevy Tahoe in Key Largo, Florida. The driver, George McGee, had bent over to look for his dropped phone, which led to the accident. Jurors found Tesla 33% responsible for the crash and awarded compensatory damages of $19.5 million to the estate of the deceased woman and $23.1 million to her boyfriend. The verdict marked a significant setback for ...
Tesla Must Pay $243 Million Penalty After Autopilot-Enabled Crash Kills Woman
In a significant verdict, a U.S. District judge has rejected Tesla’s request to overturn a $243 million penalty handed down over a 2019 crash involving an Autopilot-equipped Model S. The crash, which resulted in the death of a 22-year-old woman and severe injuries to her boyfriend, marked the first fatal Autopilot-involved accident to go to trial.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Tesla Model S was traveling at 62 mph when it crashed into a parked Chevy Tahoe in Key Largo, Florida. The driver, George McGee, had bent over to look for his dropped phone, which led to the accident. Jurors found Tesla 33% responsible for the crash and awarded compensatory damages of $19.5 million to the estate of the deceased woman and $23.1 million to her boyfriend.
The verdict marked a significant setback for Tesla, which has faced numerous lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny over its Autopilot system. In an effort to skirt blame, Tesla claimed that 100% of the responsibility lay with McGee, but the jurors’ verdict went against common sense.
The $243 million penalty is the largest awarded in a federal court case involving an Autopilot-related accident. Tesla is expected to appeal the decision, but the company has yet to raise any new arguments to set the verdict aside.
The incident highlights the ongoing safety concerns surrounding self-driving cars and the need for continued regulation and oversight. As the automotive industry continues to shift towards autonomous vehicles, it is essential that manufacturers prioritize safety and transparency to avoid similar incidents in the future.
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