A federal jury in Miami has found Tesla partially liable for a fatal crash involving its Autopilot system, ordering the company to pay $243 million in damages.
The verdict stems from a 2019 collision in Key Largo, Florida, where a Tesla Model S—operating with Autopilot enabled—struck two pedestrians. The crash killed 22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon and left her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, with serious injuries, including broken bones and brain trauma.
Jurors awarded $43 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages to the victims’ families. The case is one of the first to hold Tesla legally accountable for the actions of a driver using its driver-assistance technology, despite warnings that drivers must remain alert and in control.
The driver, George McGee, admitted he was distracted while reaching for his phone. But the jury determined that Tesla shared responsibility for allowing Autopilot to operate on a road it wasn’t designed for and for failing to disengage the system when the driver became inattentive.
During the trial, plaintiffs presented forensic evidence showing Tesla initially denied possessing crucial crash data and video, which was later recovered. Tesla has since acknowledged the mistake and said it plans to appeal the verdict.
“This decision sets a new precedent,” said a legal expert following the trial. “It signals that juries may no longer see driver distraction as the sole cause in tech-assisted collisions.”
The ruling could have broader implications for the auto industry, as companies move toward fully autonomous driving. Tesla maintains that Autopilot enhances safety and is not a replacement for an attentive driver.
Shares of Tesla fell 1.5% following the verdict.
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French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been sentenced on appeal to three years in prison, with two years suspended.
Russia is facing growing fuel shortages, with long queues forming at petrol stations from the Baltic region to Siberia as intensified Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure disrupt fuel supplies across the country.
The leader of Britain's right-wing Reform UK party, Nigel Farage, has announced he will resign as MP for Clacton, triggering a by-election that he will contest in a bid to secure a fresh mandate from voters.
Mourners are paying their respects to the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as his funeral ceremonies move to Qom in north-central Iran.
The death toll from Venezuela's devastating twin earthquakes has risen to 3,342, according to the country's information ministry, as rescue teams continue searching affected areas and survivors face an uncertain recovery.
Mexico's national football team has returned luxury Rolex watches gifted by American content creator Stevewilldoit after concerns that they could conflict with FIFA's ethics rules.
Christian Dior has secured one of fashion's most coveted celebrity endorsements after both Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wore custom haute couture designs by creative director Jonathan Anderson for their wedding in New York.
NATO leaders are unveiling multi-billion-dollar arms deals in Ankara as President Donald Trump joins the summit, highlighting Europe's increased defence spending amid tensions over Russia and Iran, and following years of U.S. criticism of the alliance.
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has been sentenced on appeal to three years in prison, with two years suspended.
Russia is facing growing fuel shortages, with long queues forming at petrol stations from the Baltic region to Siberia as intensified Ukrainian attacks on energy infrastructure disrupt fuel supplies across the country.
The leader of Britain's right-wing Reform UK party, Nigel Farage, has announced he will resign as MP for Clacton, triggering a by-election that he will contest in a bid to secure a fresh mandate from voters.
Chinese and Russian warships have begun their annual Joint Sea-2026 naval exercise in the Yellow Sea, before a planned joint patrol in the Pacific Ocean.
Ramzan Kadyrov has been left off the ruling United Russia party's election list for Chechnya for the first time since 2007, fuelling fresh speculation about his political future and succession plans.
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