A U.S. federal judge has rejected Tesla’s attempt to dismiss a lawsuit involving the death of a pedestrian in a 2019 crash, allowing claims related to alleged design flaws and insufficient warnings tied to the company’s Autopilot system to move forward toward trial.
U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom in Miami ruled that the estate of Naibel Benavides Leon and her former partner Dillon Angulo can pursue claims that Tesla’s driver-assistance technology played a substantial role in the crash. The trial is scheduled to begin on July 14.
The case stems from an April 25, 2019, incident in Key Largo, Florida, when a Tesla Model S, allegedly operating with Autopilot engaged, veered through a stop sign and red light at approximately 62 miles per hour and struck a parked Chevrolet Tahoe. Leon and Angulo had been standing beside the SUV. Leon was thrown 75 feet and died from her injuries, while Angulo sustained serious injuries.
The driver, George McGee, said he dropped his cellphone and did not receive alerts from the vehicle before the crash. According to court documents, McGee believed Autopilot would avoid the collision. While he is not a defendant, the judge said McGee’s actions did not absolve Tesla of potential liability. “Particularly given McGee’s testimony that he expected Autopilot to avoid the collision,” Bloom noted in her 98-page decision.
Bloom found that the plaintiffs presented sufficient evidence to support their design defect and failure to warn claims, but dismissed allegations of manufacturing defect and negligent misrepresentation. She noted that warnings about Autopilot risks may not be effectively conveyed via the vehicle’s touchscreen manual.
Tesla, based in Austin, Texas, has stated that its driver-assistance features require full driver attention and do not make its vehicles autonomous. The company and the plaintiffs’ lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.