- विज्ञापन -
Tesla Inc. reached a confidential settlement in a high-profile lawsuit related to a 2019 crash that resulted in a driver’s death. The incident involved the Autopilot system in the driver’s Model 3, which allegedly failed to prevent a collision with a tractor-trailer crossing a Florida highway.
The settlement was disclosed in a court filing on July 7, just before Tesla faced trial in Miami over another fatal accident in 2019, also linked to its driver-assistance technology.
The lawsuit centered on Jeremy Banner’s Model 3 colliding with the tractor-trailer, marking one of the earliest cases to question the safety and defectiveness of Tesla’s driver-assistance software, and challenging Elon Musk’s claims that Teslas are among the safest vehicles. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) cited “inattention due to over-reliance on automation” as a factor in Banner’s failure to notice the crossing truck.
The NTSB’s 2020 report also criticized Tesla’s system for inadequate monitoring and enforcement of driver engagement, noting that Autopilot did not issue visual or audible warnings to alert the driver to keep his hands on the wheel.
Tesla declined to comment on the settlement, which is part of a series of out-of-court resolutions in cases approaching trial. Previously, Tesla settled with the family of Walter Huang, an Apple engineer who died while driving his Model X on Autopilot during a California highway crash.
Trey Lytal, attorney for Banner’s widow, refrained from discussing the settlement amount but emphasized that such lawsuits have significantly impacted Tesla. “The justice system, especially jury trials, makes Tesla accountable for its actions,” he stated.
