Tesla has agreed to settle another lawsuit over the death of a man after a collision with a vehicle with Tesla Autopilot activated . The settlement comes before the case goes to trial later this year.
This lawsuit is part of a series of legal actions related to various conflicts involving Tesla's advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS)
In recent years, Tesla vehicles have been involved in numerous accidents involving these systems. Despite their names, Autopilot and Full Self-Driving are not considered fully automated driving systems. They are classified as Level 2 driver assistance systems that require the driver's attention at all times.
Drivers and victims involved in these collisions have sued Tesla, but the automaker has managed to dismiss some cases, placing most of the blame on the drivers.
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However, the situation began to change last year. Tesla settled a wrongful death lawsuit in 2018, and last month, the company lost its first lawsuit involving a 2019 Florida collision.
In that trial, the court awarded Tesla one-third of the liability (due to the role played by Autopilot) and the driver the remainder. The court awarded the plaintiffs $243 million, and Tesla has stated its intention to appeal the decision.
Before the trial, the plaintiffs had asked to settle the matter for $60 million, which Tesla refused. The trial process cost them much more.
The court rejected Tesla's argument that it cannot be held liable because it informs drivers that they are always responsible for the vehicle. The plaintiffs' lawyers successfully argued that Tesla was negligent in developing Autopilot, failing to implement geofencing. The company also appears to have promoted the system in a way that encourages misuse.
After the trial, many more lawsuits over Autopilot are likely to emerge. There are already multiple lawsuits against Tesla involving incidents with Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (all affected by the recent decision and trial information).
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The same legal teams representing the plaintiffs in the Florida lawsuit are also involved in other lawsuits against Tesla. Brett Schreiber, the lead attorney in the Florida case, is also leading another wrongful death lawsuit involving Autopilot. That case, Maldonado v. Tesla, is expected to go to trial in Alameda State Supreme Court by the end of the year.
This case involves a Tesla vehicle that collided with a semi-truck on the highway, resulting in the death of fifteen-year-old Jovani Maldonado, a passenger in the semi-truck. His father was driving him home from a soccer game.
In a recent court filing, both Tesla and the plaintiffs have sought court approval for a settlement they have reportedly agreed to.
Accidents with Tesla Autopilot
Collisions involving Autopilot and Full Self-Driving have increased since 2020-2021, coinciding with the increase in vehicle deliveries and the release of FSD Beta.
As more cases reach trial, there is the potential for greater understanding of Tesla's driver assistance systems development. However, given the outcome of the first trial, it appears the automaker may be more willing to settle future cases.
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There have been over 50 deaths related to crashes involving Tesla's Autopilot or Full Self-Driving. If the average settlement for a Tesla Autopilot-related death is around $50 million, that could add up to over $2.5 billion.
