US Federal Court Upholds $243 Million Verdict Against Tesla Over Fatal Autopilot Crash
A US federal court has rejected a request by Tesla to overturn a ruling ordering the company to pay $243 million in damages related to a fatal 2019 crash involving a Tesla Model S equipped with the Autopilot system.
Judge Beth Bloom of the US District Court in Miami ruled that the evidence presented to the jury clearly supported Tesla’s liability, noting that the company failed to provide any new legal grounds that would justify overturning the verdict or reducing the penalty.
The case stems from a 2019 accident in which the driver ran through an intersection and struck two individuals standing beside their parked vehicle. The crash resulted in the death of a 22-year-old woman and caused severe injuries to her companion.
The jury concluded that Tesla bore partial responsibility for the incident due to failures linked to its self-driving technology. The court subsequently affirmed the verdict, leaving the substantial financial penalty against the company in place.