Tesla loses bid to toss $243 million verdict in fatal Autopilot crash suit

A federal judge in Miami has ruled against Tesla's attempt to overturn a $243 million verdict linked to a tragic Autopilot incident that claimed a life in 2019. The ruling mandates that Tesla compensate the family of Naibel Benavides, the 22-year-old victim, and her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, who was seriously injured in the crash. The accident occurred in Key Largo, Florida, when George McGee, the driver of a Tesla Model S, was utilizing the Enhanced Autopilot feature, which is designed for partial automation. During the trial, McGee recounted that he dropped his phone and reached to retrieve it, mistakenly believing that the car would automatically brake if necessary. Instead, the vehicle accelerated through an intersection, colliding with a parked car and its occupants. Following a jury's decision last year that found Tesla partially liable for the incident, the automaker sought to appeal, aiming to dismiss the verdict or request a new trial. However, Judge Beth Bloom's recent order confirmed that the trial evidence strongly supported the jury's findings, stating there was no justification for altering the previous judgment. Brett Schreiber, the plaintiffs' lead attorney, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, emphasizing that it highlights Tesla's accountability for the Autopilot system's failures and the misleading claims regarding its capabilities. Meanwhile, Tesla's legal team has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the ruling. This legal setback comes as Tesla strives to advance in the competitive robotaxi sector, where it trails behind rivals such as Waymo in the U.S. and Baidu's Apollo Go in China. CEO Elon Musk has projected that Tesla will establish a broad network of driverless taxis in the U.S. by 2026, although it currently operates only a limited number of such services in Austin, Texas. In the Florida case, Tesla's representatives had argued for a significant reduction in compensatory damages, asserting that $69 million would be a more appropriate figure, and sought to lessen punitive damages based on state law restrictions.