NICKI MINAJ SPARKS BACKLASH AFTER SHOWING OFF 'MOST MEANINGFUL GIFT' FROM TRUMP. (PHOTO).
A federal judge in Miami has rejected Tesla’s request to overturn a $243 million verdict in a lawsuit over a fatal 2019 crash involving the company’s Autopilot system. The ruling means Tesla must compensate the family of Naibel Benavides, who was killed, and her boyfriend Dillon Angulo, who was seriously injured.
The crash occurred in Key Largo, Florida, when Tesla owner George McGee, using a Model S with Enhanced Autopilot, dropped his phone and tried to retrieve it, expecting the system to automatically brake for obstacles. Instead, the vehicle accelerated through an intersection at over 60 mph, striking a parked car and hitting Benavides and Angulo. A jury had previously found Tesla partially responsible for the accident.
In her decision, U.S. District Court Judge Beth Bloom wrote that the trial evidence fully supported the jury’s verdict and that no legal errors justified a new trial or overturning the ruling. “We are pleased, but not surprised, that the jury’s verdict holding Tesla liable for the role Autopilot and the company’s misrepresentations played in the crash was upheld,” said Brett Schreiber, lead counsel for the plaintiffs.
Tesla attorneys did not immediately comment. The decision represents another setback for the automaker as it competes in the robotaxi market, where companies like Alphabet’s Waymo in the U.S. and Baidu’s Apollo Go in China currently lead. Tesla has announced plans to launch a widespread driverless ride-hailing network by the end of 2026; however, it currently operates only a limited number of robotaxis in Austin, Texas.
Tesla had sought to reduce compensatory damages from $129 million to $69 million and limit punitive damages under Florida law, but the judge denied those requests, leaving the full $243 million award in place.
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