Tesla has asked a U.S. federal judge to set aside or reduce a jury verdict that found the automaker partly liable for a 2019 fatal crash in Florida involving its Autopilot driver-assistance system. The company argued that the $243 million penalty it faces is excessive and that the driver was responsible for the collision.
The case stems from a crash in Key Largo, when George McGee, driving a Tesla Model S with Autopilot engaged, struck 22-year-old Naibel Benavides and her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo. Benavides was killed instantly, while Angulo sustained severe injuries. McGee admitted he had dropped his phone and looked away from the road, believing the vehicle’s software would intervene in time.
Earlier this month, a federal jury in Miami awarded $329 million in damages, assigning Tesla 33% of the liability and McGee 67%. That left Tesla responsible for $242.5 million. The verdict was the first time a federal jury held the automaker accountable for a wrongful death involving Autopilot, setting up a possible precedent for future litigation.
Tesla’s attorneys at Gibson Dunn argued the jury’s decision was flawed, saying the Model S contained no design defect and that the accident was “entirely the doing of a reckless driver who ignored or overrode every safety feature in his car.”
The company has asked the court to cut compensatory damages from $129 million to $69 million, which would lower its share of the award to about $23 million if liability is maintained, according to court filings. Tesla also contends that punitive damages should be eliminated or reduced under Florida’s statutory cap, which typically limits them to three times compensatory damages.
In its motion, the automaker warned that leaving the jury’s ruling in place could “chill innovation, harm road safety, and punish manufacturers for bringing advanced safety features to market.”
Court records also revealed that Tesla rejected a $60 million settlement offer from the plaintiffs before the trial, which ultimately ended in a verdict nearly four times larger. A judge will now review Tesla’s motion and decide whether the jury’s decision stands, is reduced, or leads to a new trial.
