A judge in Florida, USA, announced that he found “logical evidence” that Tesla CEO Elon Musk and other company executives knew about the autopilot problems in Tesla vehicles, but still allowed the vehicles to be used unsafely.
A man named Stephen Banner was killed in Miami in 2019. Tesla Model 3‘u, on autopilot While they were traveling at high speed, they ran under a truck that was on their way. Banner died in the accident. After this accident, a lawsuit was filed against Tesla, but the case was delayed until last October. A date has not yet been set for the next hearing of the case, which was postponed once again in October.
Judge Reid Scott, Tesla CEO, presided over the case. Elon Musk He concluded that he found evidence that he and others in management knew about the problem with autopilots, but allowed the vehicles to be used in an unsafe manner.
Tesla may have to defend itself publicly.
He had appeared before a judge in California twice before, but Tesla managed to win lawsuitsThis time, he may have to defend himself in public. Because it is possible for the hearings to become open to the public as the case progresses. Law Professor Bryant Walker Smith from the University of South Carolina said that the judge’s decision was important and that there was a difference between what Tesla knew and what he said.worrying inconsistenciesSmith also said that the case could be opened to the public, and in this case, the Tesla CEO and his management could be in a very awkward situation in the face of testimonies and other evidence.
Judge Scott said Tesla “tools pretending to be autonomous “entered into a marketing strategy” While stating that Musk’s past statements also had a serious impact on the expectations of what the products can do. Scott also in 2016 He included in his evidence that another fatal accident occurred in a very similar manner. While he added to the evidence an advertising video released in the same year in which it was stated that a Tesla was traveling completely autonomously in a place where there was also pedestrian traffic, he also pointed out that there was no statement in the advertisement that such a technology was not yet offered.
The judge working in Florida ruled that the Tesla CEO and his engineers, who were the defense, did not use the autopilot. aware that it cannot detect intersecting traffic He also pointed out that it could be concluded that He said that the prosecution, which includes Banner’s wife, may also argue that Tesla’s booklets and click-to-accept contracts are inappropriate.
The plaintiff’s lawyer is that you are proud told.
Source :
https://www.reuters.com/legal/judge-finds-evidence-that-tesla-musk-knew-about-autopilot-defect-2023-11-22/