Tesla Settles Autopilot Wrongful Death Lawsuit
▼ Summary
– Tesla has settled a wrongful death lawsuit related to a 2019 crash involving its Autopilot system, which was being used by the driver at the time of the incident.
– The lawsuit was filed by the family of 15-year-old Jovani Maldonado, who was killed when a Tesla Model 3 traveling over 60 mph struck their truck, with the driver not slowing until just before impact.
– This settlement follows a recent Florida verdict where Tesla was found partly responsible for another fatal Autopilot crash and ordered to pay $243 million in damages, which the company is appealing.
– The lawyer representing the Maldonado family also handled the Florida case and planned to use similar arguments about Autopilot being defective, though the settlement amount remains undisclosed.
– As of August 4, nearly 60 people have died in crashes involving Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems, with several more lawsuits still pending against the company.
Tesla has reached a confidential settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit connected to a 2019 crash involving its Autopilot system. The case marks another high-profile legal challenge concerning the safety and performance of Tesla’s driver assistance technology, which the automaker promotes as a cornerstone of its autonomous driving ambitions.
The lawsuit was filed by the family of 15-year-old Jovani Maldonado, who died after a Tesla Model 3 traveling more than 60 miles per hour collided with the truck in which he was a passenger. According to an audio recording of the incident, the Tesla driver did not apply the brakes until a split second before impact. At the time of the crash, the vehicle was operating with Autopilot engaged, a system Tesla markets for its ability to handle steering and braking on highways.
The Maldonado family contended that Autopilot contained defects that contributed to the fatal collision. Both Tesla and the driver of the Model 3, Romeo Yalung, were named as defendants in the suit. Tesla has consistently maintained that drivers must remain fully attentive and are ultimately responsible for vehicle control, even when using Autopilot.
Legal observers suggest the company may have been motivated to settle this case quickly following a recent Florida verdict. Last month, a jury found Tesla partially liable for a 2019 crash that killed 22-year-old Naibel Benavides, also involving a Tesla using Autopilot. The court ordered Tesla to pay $243 million in damages, though the company is appealing the decision.
Brett Schreiber, the attorney who successfully represented the Benavides family, is also counsel for the Maldonados. He previously referred to this case as “round two,” indicating he would pursue similar arguments regarding alleged flaws in Tesla’s driver assistance software.
The settlement, terms of which remain undisclosed, was jointly requested by both parties in Alameda State Superior Court, where the trial had been scheduled for later this year. Schreiber declined to comment through a spokesperson.
The outcome of the Benavides trial was viewed as a significant public test of Tesla’s legal and safety standing, potentially encouraging other plaintiffs to come forward. Several additional lawsuits are still pending, including one filed by Darel Kyle, who sustained serious spinal injuries in 2021 when his van was rear-ended by a Tesla using Autopilot.
A website that aggregates data from federal crash reports indicates that nearly 60 fatalities have occurred in accidents involving Tesla’s Autopilot or Full Self-Driving systems as of early August.
(Source: The Verge)
