Tesla ordered by Florida jury to pay $243 million in fatal Autopilot crash

A federal jury in Florida has ordered Tesla to pay $243 million in damages over a 2019 crash involving its Autopilot system. Brett Schreiber, Partner at Singleton Schreiber and lead counsel for the plaintiffs, emphasized Tesla’s negligence, stating, “Tesla designed Autopilot only for controlled access highways yet deliberately chose not to restrict drivers from using it elsewhere… Today’s verdict represents justice for Naibel’s tragic death and Dillon’s lifelong injuries.” This marks the first time the company has been held liable in a wrongful death trial related to its driver-assist technology. The crash killed Naibel Benavides Leon and left Dillon Angulo with permanent injuries. The ruling could have sweeping implications for future litigation and the broader autonomous vehicle industry.