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Tesla Faces Jury Trial Over Autopilot Role in Fatal Crash
RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. – Tesla faced a sensational court battle on Thursday as its Autopilot features came under scrutiny regarding a catastrophic crash that occurred in 2019. This trial, which is among numerous other cases across the country scheduled to be litigated in the upcoming months, focuses on the death of Micah Lee. The 37-year-old allegedly activated Autopilot on his Tesla Model 3 while driving his family at a speed of 65 miles per hour. Suddenly, according to court documents, the car veered off the road, collided with a palm tree, and became engulfed in flames. Unfortunately, Micah Lee succumbed to his injuries, while his fiancée Lindsay Molander and her son suffered severe injuries.
The estate of Micah Lee filed a lawsuit against Tesla, claiming that the company was aware of the defects in its assisted-driving technology and safety features when it sold the car. The plaintiffs assert that Tesla’s marketing of the Autopilot features is misleading, creating a false impression of greater autonomy than is actually provided.
During the opening arguments, Jonathan Michaels, the attorney representing Micah Lee’s estate and Lindsay Molander, emphasized that Tesla prioritized its own interests over the safety of its customers. Michaels summed up their case by stating, “They sold the hype and people bought it. Tesla made a decision to put their company over the safety of others.”
The central pillar of Tesla’s defense, presented by attorney Michael Carey, centers on the claim that the driver retains ultimate control of the vehicle. Carey asserts that drivers must keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road while using Autopilot. He described Autopilot as “basically just fancy cruise control.” Carey also pointed out that the data box in Lee’s car, which would provide crucial information about Autopilot’s involvement, was destroyed in the fire, making it inconclusive whether Autopilot played a role in the crash.
This high-profile trial, along with other pending lawsuits, will shed light on the degree of human intervention required by Tesla’s Autopilot technology, despite CEO Elon Musk’s claims of its superior safety compared to human-controlled vehicles. The outcomes of these trials could be a turning point for Tesla, as it seeks to absolve itself of responsibility when accidents occur under Autopilot.
The ripple effect of these trials will likely impact the future of Tesla’s technology on the roads. Professor Ed Walters, who specializes in autonomous vehicle law at Georgetown University, noted, “For Tesla to continue deploying its technology, it must prevail in these cases. If it faces significant liability, it will be challenging for Tesla to advance its tech.”
Tesla currently faces several other lawsuits throughout the United States that focus on its Autopilot technology. Critics take issue with Tesla’s marketing of its autonomous features, arguing that it instills a false sense of complacency among drivers.
Many of the cases scheduled for trial originated several years ago, reflecting the increasing usage of driver-assisted features and the lengthy legal process. During this time, Tesla has continued to roll out its technology, albeit some still in a testing phase, in hundreds of thousands of vehicles nationwide.
Autopilot, introduced by Tesla in 2014, includes an array of features designed to help the car maintain speed, distance, and lane position, among other tasks. Tesla emphasizes that drivers must remain vigilant and intervene when necessary. Autosteer, a specific Autopilot feature that keeps the car centered in the lane, remains in beta test mode. Carey pointed out that drivers receive warnings about the potential limitations of Autosteer before enabling the feature. He emphasized the importance of driver vigilance, saying, “We want you to be extra vigilant when using Autopilot, not because there’s something wrong with it, but because we don’t want drivers to think it’s fully self-driving. It’s an advisory for everyone using Autosteer – you need to be careful.”
Despite the fact that Tesla requires human attention behind the wheel, increasingly sophisticated driver-assistance systems and the prevalence of automation features on the roads have prompted calls for more regulation from legislators and safety advocates. Musk has consistently promoted the safety and sophistication of Tesla’s technology when compared to human drivers, using crash rate statistics as evidence.
Several upcoming cases scheduled for trial involve incidents where vehicles allegedly on Autopilot did not behave as expected. Instances include sudden acceleration and failure to react when another vehicle was in proximity. In one case, a 50-year-old driver on Autopilot was killed when his Tesla collided with a semi-truck. Another case involves a Tesla in Autopilot that failed to stop at an intersection, resulting in a collision with a parked car and the death of an individual standing outside of the vehicle. Yet another case centers on a Tesla in Autopilot that rear-ended a car changing lanes, ejecting a 15-year-old passenger and causing a fatality. The plaintiff argues that the Tesla did not detect or respond to the traffic conditions.
Due to the increased number of Tesla-related crashes involving Autopilot, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated numerous investigations in recent years. NHTSA has also issued 16 recalls for the 2019 Tesla Model 3 and opened seven investigations into various aspects of the technology, such as sudden unintended acceleration and collisions involving emergency vehicles. Notably, NHTSA is not investigating the 2019 crash involving Micah Lee’s Tesla, and the agency declined to provide an explanation for this decision. NHTSA has previously made it clear that a report of a crash involving driver assistance does not necessarily mean that technology was the cause, and that drivers are ultimately responsible for vehicle operation.
Regardless of the outcomes of these trials, David Zipper, a visiting fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Taubman Center for State and Local Government, emphasizes the need for increased regulation in the United States regarding emerging autonomous technology. He raises concerns about the risk not only to Tesla drivers but also to other motorists and pedestrians sharing the roads.
During the trial, the attorney for Micah Lee’s fiancée described a beautiful evening that ended in sudden tragedy. He portrayed a delightful scene where the couple enjoyed an outing to Downtown Disney, strolling around and enjoying a meal together. During dinner, Lindsay Molander shared a selfie of the couple on social media with the caption, “Life is short. Don’t forget to be happy.” After their meal, where both Lee and Molander consumed alcohol, they picked up Molander’s son and began their journey home. Recounting the moments leading up to the crash, Molander stated, “Why are we jerking all of a sudden?” Unfortunately, the crash occurred before any answers could be given.
Before Lee’s car collided with a palm tree, the court…
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