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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Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday (8 June) for a rare summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, receiving a grand welcome...
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The Prime Minister's party is in the lead as Armenian media are reporting that the country's Central Election Commission has completed the vote count in the parliamentary elections. An official announcement is still expected.
A powerful earthquake struck off the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Monday (8 June), killing at least 15 people and triggering tsunami warnings across the region.
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday (8 June) for a rare summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, receiving a grand welcome as he described relations between the two countries as being at a "new historical starting point".
Football fans of all ages gathered in Miami Beach for a World Cup sticker trading event, exchanging duplicates and comparing Panini albums as they prepared for the tournament's opening match.
Counting is underway in Armenia's elections. The results of the vote are set to determine the political direction of the country of three million people for the next few years. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is hoping to fend off challenges from several pro-Russia candidates to secure a third term.
Armenian authorities arrested six candidates from the pro-Russian Strong Armenia bloc on Saturday, one day before voters were due to take part in parliamentary elections.
The Prime Minister's party is in the lead as Armenian media are reporting that the country's Central Election Commission has completed the vote count in the parliamentary elections. An official announcement is still expected.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships Natra and Zircon in the Sea of Azov. In a statement, it said four Azerbaijani citizens were killed and four others were injured.
The results of Armenia’s parliamentary elections will determine the makeup of the National Assembly and shape the country's political direction for the foreseeable future. But in Armenia, the final result is not decided by vote percentages alone. Here's how it works.
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday (8 June) for a rare summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, receiving a grand welcome as he described relations between the two countries as being at a "new historical starting point".
Football fans of all ages gathered in Miami Beach for a World Cup sticker trading event, exchanging duplicates and comparing Panini albums as they prepared for the tournament's opening match.
A city north of Tokyo has suspended classes at all 94 of its primary and middle schools after its first-ever reported bear sighting, amid growing concern over increasing encounters between bears and people across Japan.
A Turkish fishing vessel rescued migrants from a boat in distress in international waters off Malta on Sunday (7 June), after the overcrowded craft capsized in the central Mediterranean.
The leaders of Britain, France and Germany have backed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's proposal to hold direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as efforts to secure a ceasefire continue.
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