Tesla Autopilot death case will be heard for the first time, setting the precedent for such cases in the United States

Beijing time on the evening of October 24, it was reported that the accusation that Tesla’s Autopilot advanced driving assistance function caused death will be heard for the first time in the United States, and closing arguments will begin on Tuesday. The outcome of this case will help form a template for trials of such cases across the United States.

A Tesla employee gave testimony about Autopilot during a jury trial in a California state court. The company had repeatedly requested that the information be kept secret from the public, but a judge rejected the request.

According to the civil lawsuit, Tesla’s Autopilot system caused the Model 3 driven by owner Micah Lee to suddenly veer off a highway east of Los Angeles at a speed of 65 mph (105 km/h) and crash. A palm tree and a fire started, all in a matter of seconds.

Court documents show that the accident in 2019 resulted in the death of Lee and the injuries to two other passengers, including an 8-year-old boy who had to undergo a C-section during subsequent rescue operations. Passengers' lawsuit against Tesla accuses the company of knowingly selling cars with Autopilot and other safety systems that were defective, but still selling vehicles with the feature.

Tesla denied responsibility for the crash, saying Lee had been drinking before driving. The electric car maker also claimed it was unclear whether the Autopilot system was engaged at the time of the crash.

Tesla has been testing and rolling out its Autopilot and more advanced Fully Self-Driving (FSD) systems, which CEO Elon Musk said is important to its The company's future is critical, but it also invites regulatory and legal scrutiny.

The company argued that there should be no punitive damages in this case. But the plaintiffs' lawyers cited the testimony of Tesla engineer Eloy Rubio Blanco, who admitted during the trial that Tesla knew the software on the car might have potential flaws.

On the witness stand, Rubio also refuted Lee's attorney's assertion that the company chose the name "Full Self-Driving" because it wanted the public to think its vehicles had autonomous driving capabilities. More features.

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