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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Jeffrey D. Sachs, an economist, public policy analyst, Columbia University professor, and UN advisor, said Azerbaijan and the wider South Caucasus could become one of the world’s key strategic connectors in an emerging multipolar order.
Israeli airstrikes killed at least seven Palestinians in Gaza on Friday (15 May), including a child, as Israel said it had launched an operation targeting Hamas military commander Izz al-Din al-Haddad.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of central London on Saturday (16 May) as two large-scale protests unfolded simultaneously - one focused on immigration and national identity, the other held in support of Palestinians and to mark Nakba Day.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has “no trust” in the United States and will only consider negotiations if Washington shows seriousness. His remarks came as talks on Iran’s nuclear programme continued, with Trump and Xi also opposing Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington could destroy Iran’s infrastructure “in two days,” while Tehran warned the U.S. would face growing economic costs from the conflict. The remarks came as Hezbollah reported new attacks on Israeli forces despite an extended Lebanon ceasefire.
The second semi-final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest 2026 takes place tonight in a rain-soaked Vienna, with the final 10 places in Saturday’s grand final still up for grabs.
Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war as well as the bodies of fallen soldiers, on Friday (15 May). The swap came as Ukranian officials said Moscow had carried out its largest aerial attack over 48 hours since the conflict started.
A high-powered lawyer representing Elon Musk attacked the personal and professional credibility of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Thursday, as a landmark federal trial in California nears its conclusion.
China has launched the world’s first experiment to study how artificial human embryos develop in space, marking a major step in understanding whether humans could one day reproduce beyond Earth.
Every day, an elderly woman in China’s Shandong province looks forward to a video call from her son. He asks about her health, tells her he has been busy with work, and promises he will come home once he has saved enough money. She tells him she misses him. He tells her to take care of herself.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of central London on Saturday (16 May) as two large-scale protests unfolded simultaneously - one focused on immigration and national identity, the other held in support of Palestinians and to mark Nakba Day.
At least eight people have died and 32 others were injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday (16 May), triggering a fire that quickly spread through the vehicle.
President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping sought to project stability and renewed dialogue during a closely watched summit in Beijing this week, even as major disagreements over Taiwan, trade and global security remained unresolved.
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