US judge orders Tesla to pay $308 million over fatal Autopilot crash
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The driver of the Tesla Model S was reportedly looking for his dropped phone before he crashed into an SUV.
PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON - A federal judge rejected Tesla’s request to overturn a US$243 million (S$308 million) jury verdict over the 2019 crash of an Autopilot-equipped Model S, which killed a 22-year-old woman and severely injured her boyfriend.
In a decision made public on Feb 20, US District Judge Beth Bloom in Miami said the evidence at trial “more than supports” the August 2025 verdict, and Tesla raised no new arguments to set the verdict aside. Tesla, led by Mr Elon Musk, is expected to appeal. Neither Tesla nor its lawyers immediately responded to requests for comment.
The case arose from an April 25, 2019, incident in Key Largo, Florida, in which Mr George McGee drove his 2019 Model S through an intersection at about 100kph while he bent to look for his phone, which he had dropped.
McGee crashed into Ms Naibel Benavides Leon and Mr Dillon Angulo’s SUV, which was parked on a shoulder and which they stood beside. Ms Benavides was killed.
Jurors found Tesla 33 per cent responsible for the crash. They awarded compensatory damages of US$19.5 million to Ms Benavides’ estate and US$23.1 million to Mr Angulo, plus US$200 million of punitive damages to be split between them. Mr McGee previously settled with the plaintiffs.
The verdict was the first from a federal jury concerning a fatal accident involving Autopilot.
Tesla blamed driver for striking victims
In seeking a reversal, Tesla said Mr McGee deserved sole blame, his Model S wasn’t defective, and the verdict defied common sense.
Tesla said automakers “do not insure the world against harms caused by reckless drivers,” and punitive damages should be zero because it did not exhibit “reckless disregard for human life” under Florida law.
Mr Adam Boumel, a lawyer for Ms Benavides’ estate and Mr Angulo, said his clients were pleased with the decision.
“From day one, Tesla has refused to accept responsibility,” Mr Boumel said in an email. “Autopilot was defective, and Tesla put it on American roads before it was ready and before it was safe.” Tesla has faced many lawsuits over its vehicles’ self-driving capabilities, but they had been resolved or dismissed without going to trial.
Mr Musk, the world’s richest person, has long touted Tesla as a leader in autonomous driving for private vehicles and robotaxis. REUTERS
