Tesla has reached a confidential settlement to resolve a lawsuit over the death of a 15-year-old boy in a 2019 crash in California involving a Model 3 that had Autopilot engaged, a court order showed on Tuesday.
The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, though the court filing said dismissal of the lawsuit was contingent on “satisfactory completion of specified terms.” The trial had been scheduled to begin next month in Alameda County Superior Court but was vacated following the notice of settlement.
The case stemmed from an incident in Alameda County where a Tesla Model 3 on Autopilot rear-ended a vehicle carrying the boy and his father. The impact caused the car to roll over and strike a center barrier, fatally injuring the teenager.
The settlement comes weeks after a Florida jury ordered Tesla to pay $243 million in compensatory and punitive damages over another fatal 2019 crash involving a Model S with Autopilot engaged. Tesla has since asked a judge to set aside that verdict or grant a new trial, calling the outcome legally unjustified.
Tesla, which has settled several prior cases linked to Autopilot and its self-driving technology, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Court filings showed the company had previously rejected a $60 million settlement proposal in the Florida case before the jury award.
Another lawsuit tied to a separate 2019 fatal crash involving Autopilot is scheduled for trial in Los Angeles County on Oct. 20.
