Tesla rejected a $60 million settlement offer in a lawsuit over a 2019 fatal accident involving a Model S, but the outcome of the trial wasn’t favorable for the automaker. It has been ordered to pay $243 million in damages over the accident.
The plaintiffs allege that the autopilot system in the Model S sedan failed to prevent a fatal collision, which happened in 2019 when the Tesla collided with people standing near a parked SUV in Florida. Tesla was found liable for a third of the total $129 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages.
While denying wrongdoing in the case, Tesla said the outcome “only works to set back automotive safety and jeopardize Tesla’s and the entire industry’s efforts to develop and implement life-saving technology.” The automaker also said it would appeal the outcome.
The system’s failure to operate as intended is certainly at issue here, but a challenge pointed out in other lawsuits is the marketing around features like Autopilot and Full Self Driving. The names suggest that the systems make vehicles autonomous, leading some to abuse the technologies. That said, the other lawsuits have been dismissed or resolved before trial, so there’s no telling how the appeal will go in this case.
[Images: Tesla]
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