Tesla Ordered To Pay RM1.03 Billion Over Fatal Autopilot Crash

The Miami Federal Jury has ruled that Tesla is partly responsible for a deadly crash involving its Autopilot feature and must pay $243 million (approx. RM1.03 billion) in damages to the victims, Reuters has reported.

The 2019 crash happened in Key Largo, Florida, when a Tesla Model S slammed into an SUV parked on the side of a rural road. The SUV’s passengers, Naibel Benavides Leon, 22, and her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, were stargazing when the crash occurred. 

Leon died at the scene. Angulo survived with serious injuries.

The Tesla driver admitted to being distracted by his phone, but the jury agreed that the vehicle’s driver-assist system also failed. 

The court found that Tesla’s Autopilot technology played a significant role and could not shift all the blame onto the driver.
“This wasn’t just a distracted driver. The car was defective,” said Leon’s sister, Neima Benavides. “We finally know what happened that night, and justice was done.”

The verdict follows a four-year legal battle. Most cases involving Tesla and its driver-assist tech never make it this far with many being quietly settled or dismissed. 

But in this case, the plaintiffs claimed Tesla withheld or lost crucial data from the vehicle. A forensic expert hired by the family later uncovered the missing files, including footage recorded seconds before the crash, according to Electrek.

Tesla insisted it had made an honest mistake and denied wrongdoing. In a statement, the company called the verdict “wrong” and said it would hurt progress in automotive safety. 

“The driver accepted responsibility from day one. Blaming the car is not justified,” Tesla said.

The $243 million award includes $200 million in punitive damages. Tesla says it plans to appeal and expects the amount to be reduced under a pre-trial agreement. But the plaintiffs argue the jury’s figure stands.
The case also reignites debate about how Tesla markets its technology. The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Brett Schreiber, criticized the use of the term “Autopilot,” saying it misleads users into thinking the car can drive itself.

“Words matter. And when a company plays loose with words, it often plays loose with facts,” Schreiber said.