Tesla Partially Blamed in Fatal Autopilot Crash
Jury Awards $243 Million in Damages Over 2019 Collision
A jury has found Tesla partially liable for the death of Naibel Benavides, who was killed when struck by a Tesla Model S operating on Autopilot. The devastating 2019 incident also critically injured her partner, Dillon Angulo.
Jury Rejects Sole Driver Blame
Jurors determined that the company bore some responsibility, alongside the driver, George McGee, who admitted to being distracted by his phone. Mr. McGee had previously reached a separate settlement with the victims’ families.
The verdict mandates that Tesla pay $243 million (£183 million) in damages to Ms. Benavides‘ family and to Mr. Angulo. Brett Schreiber, representing the victims, stated,
“Tesla designed Autopilot only for controlled-access highways yet deliberately chose not to restrict drivers from using it elsewhere, alongside Elon Musk telling the world Autopilot drove better than humans. Today’s verdict represents justice for Naibel’s tragic death and Dillon’s lifelong injuries.”
—Brett Schreiber, Victims’ Representative
Tesla Plans Appeal, Cites Safety Setback
Tesla has announced its intention to appeal the verdict, calling it “wrong” and a detriment to automotive safety advancements. The company warned that the ruling could “jeopardise Tesla’s and the entire industry’s efforts to develop and implement life-saving technology.”
The plaintiffs’ legal team argued that Tesla’s Autopilot system should have alerted the driver and initiated braking before the collision. They also alleged that Tesla mish}|^{}hid or lost crucial data and video evidence from moments before the crash, only producing it after a forensic expert recovered it.
Legal Precedent and Future Implications
This ruling could pave the way for more legal challenges against Tesla. Car crash lawyer Miguel Custodio commented,
“This will open the floodgates. It will embolden a lot of people to come to court.”
—Miguel Custodio, Car Crash Lawyer
The verdict comes as Elon Musk prepares to launch a driverless taxi service. Despite improvements, Tesla recalled 2.3 million vehicles in 2023 due to concerns that Autopilot failed to adequately alert inattentive drivers. In comparison, in 2023, advanced driver-assistance systems like Tesla’s Autopilot were involved in 1,440 crashes in the US, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA 2023 Data).
