Elon Musk’s Tesla ordered to pay $329M in Autopilot crash case
A jury in Miami has ordered Elon Musk’s car company to pay $329 million to victims of a fatal crash involving its Autopilot driver assist technology. This ruling could lead to more costly lawsuits and damage Tesla’s safety reputation.
The jury found Tesla responsible for the crash due to the failure of its technology. They determined that not all the blame could be placed on the distracted driver, who admitted to using his cell phone before hitting a young couple stargazing.
This verdict comes as Musk aims to demonstrate that his cars are safe for autonomous driving, with plans to launch a driverless taxi service in multiple cities soon.
The conclusion of this four-year case is significant not only for its outcome but also for making it to trial. Many similar cases against Tesla have been dismissed or settled out of court to avoid public attention.
“This will open the floodgates,” said Miguel Custodio, a car crash lawyer uninvolved in the Tesla case. “It will encourage more people to seek legal action.”
The case also included allegations from the family’s lawyers that Tesla concealed or lost crucial evidence, such as data and video recordings before the accident.
329M Autopilot case crash Elon Musks ordered Pay Tesla
