Tesla has settled a lawsuit concerning a deadly 2018 car crash involving its Autopilot system. The incident, where an Apple engineer died after his Model X veered off a highway near San Francisco, raised concerns about Tesla’s driver-assist technology.
The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. However, Tesla faces several lawsuits related to crashes involving Autopilot, which could affect its finances and reputation.
The tragedy happened when Walter Huang, 38, was driving his Model X on Autopilot and hit a highway barrier.
His family claimed Autopilot directed the car into the barrier, while Tesla argued Huang had misused the system by playing a video game before the crash. The settlement was reached just before the trial, highlighting the case’s importance.
This development comes as Elon Musk promotes self-driving technology as crucial to Tesla’s future success.
Despite Musk’s optimism, Tesla has not yet delivered fully autonomous vehicles, leading to scrutiny from regulators and experts.
Elon Musk (Via Shaun Guetta/Getty Images)
The settlement shows Tesla’s readiness to settle rather than prolong legal disputes with other lawyers handling similar cases.
Meanwhile, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating numerous Autopilot-related accidents, raising concerns about the technology’s safety and effectiveness.
While Tesla says Autopilot assists drivers and requires their full attention, critics argue users might misuse or misunderstand the system.
Musk’s recent announcement of a self-driving robotaxi and a free trial of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving feature shows the company’s ongoing efforts to improve autonomous driving capabilities.
Despite the settlement, Tesla’s reputation remains under scrutiny, especially amid declining sales and controversies over Musk’s public statements.
