Automotive
Tesla settles wrongful death lawsuit over fatal Autopilot crash with fire truck
The confidential agreement averts a federal jury trial regarding claims that Tesla and Elon Musk misrepresented the driver-assistance technology.
The short version
- Tesla reached an undisclosed out-of-court settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit arising from a 2023 fatal crash involving Autopilot and a parked fire truck in California.
- The agreement prevents a jury trial in U.S. District Court where a judge had permitted fraudulent misrepresentation claims over the 'Autopilot' name to proceed.
- The exact financial terms and conditions of the settlement remain confidential.
Key facts
- Tesla settled a federal wrongful death lawsuit regarding a February 18, 2023, crash on Interstate 680 in Contra Costa County, California.[Electrek]
- The crash occurred at roughly 70 mph when a 2014 Tesla Model S operating on Autopilot struck a parked county ladder fire truck, killing driver Genesis Giovanni Mendoza Martinez and severely injuring passenger Caleb Mendoza.[Electrek]
- The lawsuit alleged that Tesla and Chief Executive Elon Musk misrepresented the capabilities of the Level 2 driver-assistance system, leading the driver to place undue trust in it.[Electrek]
- U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria had previously ruled the 'Autopilot' name plausibly misleading and allowed fraudulent misrepresentation claims regarding Musk's public statements to move forward.[Electrek]
What remains uncertain
- The financial terms and specific conditions of the settlement agreement have not been publicly disclosed.[Electrek]