Tesla held partially responsible for deadly autopilot accident

A federal jury recently ruled that Tesla, led by Elon Musk, bears partial responsibility for a tragic 2019 accident involving one of its electric vehicles equipped with an autopilot system. The jury determined that Tesla was accountable for 33 percent of the incident and ordered the company to pay significant damages. The family of Naibel Benavides filed a lawsuit against Tesla, blaming its autopilot technology for the crash that claimed the life of the 22-year-old. The plaintiffs' lead attorney, Brett Schreiber, stated that Tesla's alleged deception put lives at risk and led to the unfortunate outcome. In the accident, the driver had activated the autopilot feature and diverted attention to his phone, causing the vehicle to overlook an intersection and collide with a stationary car, resulting in Benavides' fatality and her boyfriend's injury. The jury awarded compensatory damages to the victims' families and punitive damages against Tesla. The company has announced its intent to appeal the verdict, citing legal errors during the trial. Tesla argues that the driver was primarily responsible for the accident due to his speeding and inattention, overriding the autopilot system. It contends that no vehicle available then or now could have averted the crash.