this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2025
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Tesla loses Autopilot wrongful death case in $329 million verdict (arstechnica.com)
submitted 1 day ago by some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org to c/technology@lemmy.world
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A representative for Tesla sent Ars the following statement: "Today's verdict is wrong and only works to set back automotive safety and jeopardize Tesla's and the entire industry's efforts to develop and implement life-saving technology. We plan to appeal given the substantial errors of law and irregularities at trial. Even though this jury found that the driver was overwhelmingly responsible for this tragic accident in 2019, the evidence has always shown that this driver was solely at fault because he was speeding, with his foot on the accelerator—which overrode Autopilot—as he rummaged for his dropped phone without his eyes on the road. To be clear, no car in 2019, and none today, would have prevented this crash. This was never about Autopilot; it was a fiction concocted by plaintiffs’ lawyers blaming the car when the driver—from day one—admitted and accepted responsibility."

So, you admit that the company’s marketing has continued to lie for the past six years?

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[–] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 29 points 20 hours ago (18 children)

Good that the car manufacturer is also being held accountable.

But...

In 2019, George McGee was operating his Tesla Model S using Autopilot when he ran past a stop sign and through an intersection at 62 mph then struck a pair of people stargazing by the side of the road. Naibel Benavides was killed and her partner Dillon Angulo was left with a severe head injury.

That's on him. 100%

McGee told the court that he thought Autopilot "would assist me should I have a failure or should I miss something, should I make a mistake,"

Stop giving stupid people the ability to control large, heavy vehicles! Autopilot is not a babysitter, it's supposed to be an assistive technology, like cruise control. This fucking guy gave Tesla the wheel, and that was a choice!

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 22 points 17 hours ago (3 children)

Yeah, but I think Elon shares the blame for making outrageous claims for years suggesting otherwise. He's a liar and needs to be held accountable.

[–] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 4 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Absolutely. I hope he and the company burn in hell, but I do not want to start giving drivers who kill people a free pass to say "well, it was the car's fault!"

"Autopilot", especially in Tesla cars, is beta software at best, and this feature should never have been allowed to be used on public roads. In that sense, the transportation ministry that's allowed it also has blood on their hands.

[–] Keelhaul@sh.itjust.works 1 points 7 hours ago

Woo, both parties are terrible, irresponsible, and should be held accountable

[–] FreedomAdvocate@lemmy.net.au -5 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) (2 children)

What claims did he make about autopilot that suggested otherwise?

[–] NotSafeForWorld@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago) (1 children)

https://electrek.co/2016/07/05/elon-musk-tesla-autopilot-save-life/

https://electrek.co/2018/04/13/tesla-autopilot-never-perfect-10x-safer-than-human-elon-musk/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_predictions_for_autonomous_Tesla_vehicles_by_Elon_Musk

Considering Elon's been using the two interchangeably, and that autopilot gives the lay person a false equivalence to what actual pilots use in planes. Can you really blame them?

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 15 hours ago

Thanks for responding to this with links so that I didn't have to.

[–] RightEdofer@lemmy.ca 3 points 15 hours ago

Like everything he has ever said about it? lol wtf is this comment.

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