Tesla Settles Autopilot Crash Lawsuit

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Facts

• Elon Musk-owned Tesla has settled a lawsuit with the family of Walter Huang, an Apple engineer killed in a 2018 crash involving a Model X on Autopilot. Details of the deal are unknown.¹
• Huang was using the driver assistance system when he crashed into a divider in California, placing Tesla's Autopilot and 'Full Self Driving' tech under a lens.²
• In 2019, Huang's family sued Tesla for negligence and wrongful death, alleging it misled customers into believing they could drive without remaining alert. The case was scheduled to be tried this week.³
• Tesla, however, argued Huang was playing a video game before the accident and his failure to remain vigilant and assume control contributed to the crash.⁴
• Tesla's self-driving software faces scrutiny in the US. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has said Autopilot could lull drivers into complacency.⁵
• Tesla faces many lawsuits over crashes linked to its driver-assist technology. This latest settlement comes amid declining sales and a plan to reveal a self-driving robotaxi.¹

Sources: ¹BBC News, ²The Telegraph, ³Al Jazeera, ⁴Guardian and ⁵Times.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by Forbes. Tesla is up front with its customers that their full focus is an absolute requirement while driving its cars on Autopilot. The company informs them of the need to be ready to take control at any moment, so you can't blame the company or its technology if the driver fails to follow these instructions.
• Narrative B, as provided by Washington Post. Tesla needs to be held responsible for the misconceptions surrounding its Autopilot feature. Misunderstanding — partly attributed to misleading labeling like 'Full Self-Driving' — is a key reason for the series of crashes involving its cars. Clearer names could aid comprehension and be crucial for users to grasp the technology's limits.

Predictions