A recent ruling by a California state court jury cleared Tesla’s Autopilot feature of any defect or failure, dismissing a lawsuit filed by Justine Hsu. Hsu alleged that her Tesla Model S crashed into a curb while on Autopilot, causing severe injuries due to design flaws in the system and the airbag. She sought over $3 million in damages. However, the jury found no evidence of intentional nondisclosure of facts by Tesla and awarded zero damages to Hsu. They also determined that the airbag functioned as intended and did not pose any safety concerns.
Tesla argued that Hsu misused the Autopilot system on city roads despite warnings in the user manual against such use. This ruling marks the first trial involving a crash related to the partially automated driving software. Tesla’s Autopilot and more advanced “Full Self-Driving (FSD)” system have faced regulatory and legal scrutiny as the company has been testing and rolling out the technology. Despite legal challenges, CEO Elon Musk has emphasized the importance of FSD for Tesla’s future growth.
The Hsu case was a significant legal battle for Tesla, lasting three weeks and featuring testimony from three Tesla engineers. This case is just one of many legal challenges that Tesla faces related to its semi-automated driving system. As the company continues to push the envelope with its autonomous driving technology, CEO Elon Musk maintains that it is safer than human drivers.
Safety features
It’s important to note that while Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features are labeled as such, they do not render cars fully autonomous, and drivers must remain alert and prepared to take control at all times. Despite the warnings and disclaimers provided to users, Tesla faces increasing scrutiny from regulators and the public regarding the safety of these features.
The Autopilot system was first introduced by Tesla in 2015 and has since been updated and refined. Unfortunately, accidents involving the technology have occurred, including the first fatal accident in the US in 2016. As Tesla continues to test and roll out more advanced autonomous driving features, the company faces mounting legal challenges and regulatory scrutiny. The outcome of the Hsu case is a victory for Tesla, but the company must continue to work to ensure the safety and effectiveness of its autonomous driving technology.
The case
Experts view the recent verdict in the Hsu case against Tesla as a potential indicator of future litigation strategies for both the company and plaintiffs’ lawyers. Although not legally binding, the outcome of this case could influence the perception and handling of similar cases in the future. While the Hsu case ruled in favour of Tesla, the company still faces investigations from the US Justice Department and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding the safety and accuracy of its self-driving capabilities.
Despite CEO Elon Musk’s claims that Tesla’s technology is safer than human drivers, experts warn that the company’s autopilot and self-driving features are still far from fully autonomous. In light of this, some analysts believe that Tesla may still face legal challenges in the future. Raj Rajkumar, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, noted that jury perspectives may differ when fatalities are involved and that Tesla could potentially “lose the war” despite winning individual cases like the Hsu trial. The Hsu case serves as a reminder of the legal, regulatory, and technical challenges that the autonomous vehicle industry faces as it moves towards fully autonomous driving. While the verdict may have favored Tesla, the company still faces a long road ahead as it works to overcome these challenges and establish itself as a leader in the field.
