Tesla has recently settled a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of Walter Huang, an Apple engineer and father of two. The tragic incident occurred when Huang’s Model X SUV, equipped with Autopilot features, crashed into a highway barrier near Mountain View, California, in 2018.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the fatal crash and determined that Tesla’s technology was partially responsible for the collision. The agency also pointed out possible contributing factors such as driver distraction and problematic road construction. According to the NTSB, Huang may have been distracted by a game on his phone, and Tesla’s collision warning system failed to provide an alert.
The Huang family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Tesla, focusing on alleged safety and design defects in the company’s driver assistance systems. The case, Sz Huang et al v. Tesla Inc. et al, was brought to a California Superior Court in Santa Clara County.
Tesla’s attorneys argued that Huang was an inattentive driver who was playing games on his phone at the time of the crash. They also highlighted internal Tesla emails showing employees becoming complacent while using Autopilot features and engaging in distracting activities while driving.
The settlement allowed Tesla to avoid a public trial and prevented the airing of potentially damaging evidence. By settling the lawsuit, Tesla has managed to keep the amount of the settlement confidential. The outcome of the trial could have had far-reaching implications on Tesla’s culture, safety practices, and the quality of its driver assistance systems.
The settlement of the wrongful death lawsuit involving Walter Huang’s tragic accident raises questions about the accountability of companies like Tesla in cases of product liability. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible driving practices, even when utilizing advanced driver assistance technologies. Tesla’s response to this lawsuit and the details uncovered during the investigation may impact the future of autonomous driving technology and the legal landscape surrounding it.
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