A Florida jury has ordered Tesla to pay more than $200 million to the victims of a 2019 crash involving its Autopilot driver-assist technology. The verdict, delivered on Friday, found the car company bore significant responsibility for the accident, which killed 22-year-old Benavides Leon and severely injured her boyfriend, Angulo.
The federal jury in Miami determined that Tesla was 33% responsible for the crash, with the remaining blame placed on the driver, George Brian McGee, who admitted to being distracted by his phone. The jury awarded $129 million in compensatory damages, of which Tesla must pay 33%, and $200 million in punitive damages to the victims' estate and Angulo.
The case is notable for reaching trial, as many similar lawsuits against Tesla have been dismissed or settled. Lawyers for the plaintiffs argued that Tesla exaggerated Autopilot's capabilities and knew the technology increased the risk of driver distraction. “The car they claimed to have invented didn’t exist,” said Brett Schreiber, the plaintiffs' attorney.
Tesla plans to appeal the verdict, stating in a release that “no car in 2019, and none today, would have prevented this crash.” The company also argued that the driver was reckless and that punitive damages should be capped. The decision comes as Tesla seeks to launch a driverless taxi service, and experts say it could open the door to further costly lawsuits.
