A California jury on Tuesday rejected a claim that a Tesla car involved in a fatal 2019 crash had a manufacturer's defect in its 'Autopilot' self-driving feature, according to a court spokesperson.
Signage is displayed outside the Tesla Inc Santa Monica Place store, in Santa Monica, California on March 20, 2023. A California jury on October 31, 2023 rejected a claim that a Tesla car involved in a fatal 2019 crash had a manufacturer’s defect in its “Autopilot” self-driving feature, according to a court spokesperson.
“Though we express disappointment in the verdict, it’s undeniable that a national lens is now focused on this pressing matter,” the plaintiff’s lawyer, Jonathan Michaels of MLG Attorneys at Law, said when contacted by AFP about the verdict.The fact that jurors deliberated for four days, and were split nine to three, “casts a shadow of uncertainty” on the tech, according to Michaels.
Musk has said that Tesla will realize fully autonomous cars “later this year,” though the billionaire has already missed several deadlines for the long-anticipated milestone.