Tesla Held Liable for Autopilot-Related Crash

Miami (ANTARA) - A federal judge in Miami has rejected Tesla’s request to overturn a US$243 million (approximately Rp4 trillion) jury verdict in a case involving a 2019 Tesla Model S crash linked to the autopilot feature.

The accident killed Naibel Benavides, a 22-year-old woman, and injured her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo.

The Straits Times reported on Saturday (21/2) that the case originated on 25 April 2019 in Key Largo, Florida, when George McGee was driving his 2019 Model S through an intersection at approximately 100 km/h whilst looking down to retrieve his dropped mobile phone.

During the trial, the jury found Tesla 33 per cent liable for the crash. They awarded compensatory damages of US$19.5 million (Rp328.8 billion) to Benavides’s heirs and US$23.1 million (Rp389.5 billion) to Angulo.

In addition, the jury imposed punitive damages of US$200 million (Rp3.37 trillion) to be divided between the two parties. McGee had previously settled with the plaintiffs. The verdict marked the first by a federal jury in a fatal crash involving the autopilot feature.

However, the victims’ lawyer, Adam Boumel, maintained that Autopilot was defective and that Tesla had put it on the road before it was ready and safe. “From the outset, Tesla refused to take responsibility,” Boumel said.

Although Tesla faces numerous lawsuits related to its automated driving features, most cases have been settled or dismissed before reaching trial.

Elon Musk is known for promoting Tesla as a leader in autonomous vehicle technology, both for private cars and robotaxis.