The case on Tesla's Autopilot which resulted in a fatal Model X crash in 2018 is returning to the court, with the plaintiffs set to present new evidence that would go against the company. Previous investigations and proceedings found out that Tesla knew that the Autopilot was turned on at the event of the accident, leading to the death of Wei "Walter" Huang almost six years ago.
Tesla Autopilot Case to Return to Court with New Evidence
(Photo : Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Reuters reported an upcoming return of the lawsuit against Tesla involving its Autopilot technology, a case that centers on the 2018 fatal crash of Walter Huang's Model X. The case will take place in California, starting by next week, Monday, March 18, and will present new evidence against the company and their technology, following up on the previous complaint.
Huang's lawyers were able to get a statement from a witness from Tesla, asking about their knowledge of the Autopilot use, and whether the company knew if the drivers would not watch the road when using the feature.
This cited a 2016 email from former Tesla President Jon McNeill addressed to Autopilot head Sterling Anderson, admitting that when using the Autopilot distracted him from driving as he answered emails or calls.
2018 Model X Fatal Crash: Is Tesla's Tech at Fault?
The court proceedings next week would shed more light on this case, especially on who is responsible for the said fatal crash, as the plaintiffs point the blame to the Autopilot. Recently, Tesla issued a $2 million recall for its electric vehicles that would make it more difficult for drivers to "misuse" the Autopilot and engage in dangerous activities inside while driving by itself.
Tesla Autopilot and Its Crash Cases
Last year, crashes for Autopilot did not stop, as there was one case where a driver was using the assistive driving tech when it crashed into a stationary truck on a highway. The truck was used by authorities as traffic control, redirecting drivers to the other side of the road as parts of the right side of the I-76 were closed for paving, and the driver ended up getting charged for careless driving.
Also last year, Tesla won two lawsuits for its Autopilot technology disputes, with one centering on the 2019 fatal crash that took the life of Micah Lee, with the car driving on L.A.'s highway at 65 miles per hour before running offroad and crashing onto a tree.
Moreover, a California jury also handed Tesla the win in April 2023, determining that the accident was caused by the driver's error despite using Autopilot.
Tesla is still facing several lawsuits that blame them and their "experimental" Autopilot technology for what it causes on the streets, with some facing crashes, grave injuries, and deaths while using it. The upcoming return to court of this Tesla Autopilot case that caused a fatality in 2018 using the Model X will unearth new evidence, one that could nail the first loss of the company or acquit them of the charges yet again.
