A federal jury in Florida has found Tesla to be partly liable for a fatal car crash that occurred in 2019 involving its self-driving feature Autopilot. Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company must now pay $243 million in damages as a result of the judgment, multiple reports Friday said.
Prosecutors filed charges back in 2022 alleging that the driver didn’t brake in time when approaching a T-intersection while driving his Tesla Model S with Autopilot active, and as a result killed two passengers in the car he collided with.
A Tesla spokesperson told TechCrunch Friday that the verdict is “wrong” and will “set back automotive safety and jeopardize Tesla’s and the entire industry’s efforts to develop and implement life-saving technology.” Tesla plans to appeal, according to the statement.
Tesla didn’t immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment.
In California, Tesla is currently in the courts for another case involving Autopilot, where the state DMV is suing for allegations of false advertising and misleading customers. The California DMV alleges that Tesla is misrepresenting the capabilities of its advanced driver assistance systems by naming them “Full Self-Driving” and “Autopilot,” and is seeking a 30-day suspension of Tesla’s license to sell vehicles in the state.
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