Tesla Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit Involving Autopilot Feature

Tesla Settles High-Profile Lawsuit After Apple Engineer Died When His Tesla Model X Crashed on California Highway

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA (April 9, 2024) – The family of an Apple engineer settled a wrongful death lawsuit with Tesla just before the case was about to go to trial.

Walter Huang, who worked as an engineer for Apple, died in Sillicon Valley on March 23, 2018. His Tesla SUV struck a concrete highway median.

Attorneys for his family said that the vehicle’s Autopilot system was engaged when the crash took place. Tesla has touted the safety features of its Autopilot system.

But attorneys for the plaintiff’s family have argued that Tesla oversold the technology’s capabilities. According to them, it is not as safe as advertised. There have been a number of collisions involving Tesla vehicles in Autopilot in California.

• A Tesla in ‘Full Self-Driving’ mode was involved in a crash on the Bay Bridge which left 8 people injured in 2023.
• A Tesla in Autopilot crashed into a parked fire truck in Walnut Creek in March, 2023.
• A Tesla in Autopilot hit a wall before catching fire in California in December, 2022.
• A Tesla in Autopilot was reportedly involved in a fatal pedestrian collision in May, 2022.

This settlement happened as Tesla has come under increased scrutiny over its autopilot feature. In particular, there have been a number of videos online of people who have fallen asleep in their Tesla as it is engaged in autopilot.

Tesla has also recalled 2 million vehicles in the United States in order to update the Autopilot software.

Liability For Crashes Involving Tesla Vehicles

Tesla has continued to grow from a small startup to become the world’s largest automaker by market capitalization. One of the features that helped Tesla become popular with consumers is Autopilot. Despite what the name might suggest, Tesla vehicles engaged in Autopilot are not capable of driving by themselves. They still require human intervention in most situations associated with their use on the highway. Even for that limited use case, drivers are required to monitor what’s going on. Despite the promise of this technology, there are many reports about the shortcomings of the Autopilot feature.

• Vehicles in autopilot have had trouble stopping for stalled traffic.
• Vehicles with Autopilot are supposed to require drivers to have their hands on the wheel. But some drivers have found a way to bypass this requirement.
• Vehicles in Autopilot have reportedly been affected by the glare of the sun.

Depending on the facts of any case, Tesla could potentially be liable for collisions involving their vehicles. All car manufacturers have a legal obligation to create vehicles that are reasonably safe. They must also warn consumers about the non-obvious dangers associated with the use of their products. When a car manufacturer creates a vehicle with design, manufacturing, or marketing defects, this could form the basis of a civil claim.

A number of lawsuits against Tesla have argued that the vehicle’s Autopilot feature is unsafe. In particular, there have been numerous situations where Tesla vehicles in Autopilot have not stopped for parked emergency vehicles or fixed objects. It has also been alleged that Tesla has not taken sufficient action to warn consumers about the shortcomings of this software. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any crash involving a Tesla vehicle.

• The police report for the collision should be reviewed.
• It should be determined if the vehicle was in Autopilot or “full self-driving” mode.
• Medical records related to the crash should be preserved.
• An experienced Orange County car accident attorney should be contacted.

Car accidents can be particularly traumatic. Many accident victims are left with life-altering injuries and may need to take extensive periods of time off of work. Sadly, though, Tesla and other manufacturers will often do everything in their power to deny liability if one of their vehicles is involved in a collision. This is why it is always a good idea to seek the guidance of an experienced personal injury attorney. An attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know if you have a claim that can be pursued.

Getting Legal Help After Crashes Involving Tesla Vehicles

We at Samer Habbas & Associates extend our best wishes to all of the people who have been impacted by crashes with Tesla vehicles. The safety features that Tesla is rolling out have the promise to dramatically reduce collisions. But these features should not be put on public roads without appropriate safeguards and testing.

Have you or someone that you care about been injured in an accident involving a Tesla vehicle in Autopilot? You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Our team of car accident attorneys is here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that accident victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support, we may be able to help. You can reach out to us anytime at 888-848-5084.