Tesla ordered to pay over 35 billion yen in damages, ruling that Tesla is partially responsible for fatal accidents that occurred while using Autopilot



A court has ruled that Tesla, which provides Autopilot, is partly responsible for a case in which a driver using the car's

Autopilot feature accidentally ran a stop sign, killing and injuring two people. Tesla is preparing to appeal the ruling.

Tesla found partially liable for fatal 2019 crash, hit with $243 million in damages - The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/08/01/tesla-found-partially-liable-fatal-2019-crash-involving-driver-assistance-technology-jury-orders-200-million-damages/

Tesla hit with $243 million in damages after jury finds its Autopilot feature contributed to fatal crash
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tesla-autopilot-crash-trial-verdict-partly-liable-rcna222344

Florida jury throws huge fine at Tesla in Autopilot crash • The Register
https://www.theregister.com/2025/08/01/florida_tesla_verdict/

On April 25, 2019, a Tesla Model S traveling in Key Largo, Florida, failed to stop at a T-intersection and struck a parked SUV, killing 20-year-old Navel Benevides Leon, who was standing next to the SUV, and injuring her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo.

According to evidence presented, the driver, George McGee, momentarily took his eyes off the road to look for his smartphone. The vehicle was traveling at approximately 100 km/h just before the collision. There was a stop sign and a flashing red light at the intersection.



Benavides-Leon's family and Angulo previously sued the driver and reached a settlement.

In 2024, Angulo and others filed a new lawsuit against Tesla, alleging that Tesla engaged Autopilot on roads where it was not intended.

The plaintiffs take issue with the fact that Autopilot was enabled on regular roads, even though it should only be enabled on highways. Furthermore, the plaintiffs claim that Tesla gave customers a false sense of security. While Tesla's Autopilot system requires constant driver supervision, customers may mistakenly believe that they can take their hands and eyes off the vehicle, and that this is what Mr. McGee believed.

The jury supported the plaintiffs' argument that Autopilot worked on public roads and noted that Tesla had brought a defective vehicle to market.

On the other hand, Tesla claims that the driver is fully responsible. Tesla vehicles are regulated by the law to require the driver to remain in control regardless of any functions that are running, so they cannot be held responsible for accidents. In this case, the driver admitted responsibility, saying that the accident was caused by 'looking for his smartphone,' and Tesla therefore claims that it is not responsible.



The jury determined that the families of the deceased should be awarded $129 million in damages. Tesla was found liable for one-third of that amount, or $43 million. The jury also ruled that Tesla should pay a $200 million punitive penalty, bringing the total amount Tesla owes to $243 million.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded to a member of the public's post saying, 'Tesla has been ordered to pay damages even though the driver admitted responsibility. I hope Tesla appeals.' He said, 'We will.'




in Vehicle, Posted by log1p_kr