Tesla company is partially responsible for the fatal accident
"Tesla" has been found partially liable for a fatal accident in Florida in 2019, during which 22-year-old Naybel Benavides Leon died, and her boyfriend sustained severe injuries, reports Washington Post.
The cause was the malfunction of the autopilot. Compensation will amount to $243 million, of which $200 million are punitive damages.
The Tesla driver was distracted by his phone and crashed into a couple. The family of the deceased settled out of court with the driver and filed a lawsuit against Tesla, accusing the company of allowing the use of autopilot under inappropriate conditions.
Tesla claims that autopilot is not a substitute for the driver and will appeal the verdict. Plaintiffs, on the other hand, argue that the company misled consumers and encouraged excessive trust in the system. The verdict could set a precedent for other cases against autopilot systems.
