Tesla forgoes a $60 million settlement, resulting in a $243 million Autopilot trial verdict loss.
In a significant legal ruling, a Florida jury has ordered Tesla to pay $243 million in a fatal Autopilot crash case. The verdict, announced this month, marks the first trial of its kind involving the wrongful death of a third party resulting from the use of Tesla's Autopilot driver-assistance software.
The trial, which focused on an April 2019 crash involving a 2019 Model S featuring Autopilot, saw jurors award the estate of Naibel Benavides Leon, who was killed, and her boyfriend Dillon Angulo, who was seriously injured, a combined $129 million in compensatory damages. An additional $200 million in punitive damages was also awarded.
Interestingly, the driver of the Tesla was not a defendant in the case, but the jury found him liable for 67% of the compensatory damages. Tesla, on the other hand, was held liable for 33% of the compensatory damages, or $42.6 million, and all of the punitive damages.
Despite the multiple lawsuits Tesla has faced over its vehicles' self-driving capabilities, most have been resolved or dismissed without reaching trial. However, this verdict is likely to deal a 'black eye' to Tesla and potentially threaten Elon Musk's robotaxi ambitions.
It is worth noting that in a previous ruling, Tesla was granted to limit damages in a US lawsuit over an Autopilot crash. However, in this case, the jury's decision stands.
The search results do not provide the name of the lawyer representing Tesla in the case. On the other hand, lawyers for the plaintiffs disclosed a $60 million settlement proposal that Tesla rejected in a filing on Monday in a federal court in Miami, Florida.
Under Florida law, the plaintiffs are entitled to the legal fees they accrued since May 30, when the settlement was proposed. The outcome of this case is a stark reminder of the challenges and responsibilities that come with the development and deployment of autonomous driving technology.
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