Florida Judge Rules that Lawsuit Alleging Negligence in Tesla’s Self-Driving Technology Can Move Forward
Tesla’s self-driving technology lawsuit has been given the go-ahead by a Florida judge, indicating that the company must defend itself against allegations of gross negligence.
Judge Reid Scott of Palm Beach County made the decision after finding sufficient evidence to suggest that Elon Musk and other Tesla executives were aware of issues with the technology but allowed it to be launched regardless.
The lawsuit was brought by Kim Banner, the widow of Scott Banner who tragically lost his life in a car accident in 2019 while using Tesla’s self-driving technology.
According to court documents, Banner’s Tesla Model 3 drove beneath the trailer of a semi-truck just 10 seconds after activating Tesla’s autopilot function. The collision resulted in the top of Banner’s car being sheared off, leading to his demise.
As per the NTSB report, the car did not engage the brakes at any point during or before the collision and collided with the semi-truck at a speed of 69 mph.
In her lawsuit, Ms. Scott alleges that Tesla persisted in promoting the safety of the technology despite conflicting evidence.
Several federal and state agencies have initiated inquiries into Tesla’s self-driving technology. While some have criticized Tesla’s assertions regarding the technology, the company has also achieved some legal victories.
Notably, a recent ruling by a California judge absolved Tesla of liability in a serious accident that injured two passengers.
