Electric car maker Tesla wants to use a settlement payment to avoid a lawsuit over a death related to its “Autopilot” driving assistance system. The trial was scheduled to begin this week in San Jose, California.
How much Tesla plans to pay the family of the driver involved in the crash was unclear in court documents released Monday. The company requested that the amount be kept secret.
Apple employee had an accident in a Tesla Model
The case concerned the death of an Apple employee in March 2018. His Tesla model The US accident investigation agency NTSB attributed the accident to system limitations and driver inattention.
It is possible that the “autopilot” system followed incorrect lane markings and therefore directed the car directly towards the bollard at a speed of more than 100 kilometers per hour. The Tesla did not warn of an obstacle in time.
Tesla's data records purport to show that the driver did not have his hands on the wheel at the time of the accident. After the accident, it was discovered that there was a game open on his smartphone.
Tesla denied all responsibility in the process because the driver was distracted. However, some experts testified at trial that, based on the available data, they could not say with absolute certainty what exactly happened on the phone before the accident.
Family: The deceased believed the assurances of Tesla boss Elon Musk
The family said the deceased believed Tesla boss Elon Musk's assurances that “autopilot” was safer than a human behind the wheel. In documents about the system, Tesla always emphasizes that the driver must maintain an overview of the traffic situation and control of the vehicle at all times. That's why there are warnings if you take your hands off the wheel for an extended period.
The impact was further aggravated by the lack of a protective metal structure on the bollard. It had been damaged in another accident a few weeks earlier and had not yet been replaced.
In two previous cases involving the “Autopilot” system in the US, Tesla prevailed with its arguments. However, the current case was particularly thoroughly investigated and also led to an investigation by the NTSB.
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