Tesla Fined Over $240 Million in Fatal ‘Autopilot’ Crash Case

San Francisco: A U.S. jury has ordered electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla to pay more than $240 million in damages over a 2019 crash linked to the company’s controversial “Autopilot” driver-assistance system.

The crash claimed the life of 22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon and seriously injured her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, as they were stargazing on the roadside when a Tesla Model 3 struck them.

Although the driver admitted to being distracted by his cellphone, the jury ruled that Tesla’s Autopilot system also contributed to the crash and held the company partially liable.

The jury awarded $200 million in punitive damages, $59 million in compensatory damages to Leon’s family, and $70 million to Angulo, according to court documents.

The case sets a legal precedent by holding Tesla accountable for the failures of its semi-autonomous technology—even in instances involving human error. Reports suggest Tesla has previously settled similar cases out of court or had them dismissed. This landmark decision may encourage more victims to pursue legal action.

Attorneys representing the victims accused Tesla of hiding crucial evidence, including footage and data from the vehicle shortly before the crash. While Tesla initially claimed that no such data existed, a forensic expert recovered the exact material, contradicting the company’s claims. Tesla later described the omission as an “honest mistake.”

The verdict comes at a sensitive time for Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who is preparing to roll out driverless taxi services in select cities later this year. Although Tesla has made several updates to its Autopilot system since the 2019 crash, the ruling raises serious questions about the system’s reliability in real-world conditions.

With inputs from IANS