this post was submitted on 01 Aug 2025
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Tesla loses Autopilot wrongful death case in $329 million verdict (arstechnica.com)
submitted 1 day ago by some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org to c/technology@lemmy.world
160 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

A representative for Tesla sent Ars the following statement: "Today's verdict is wrong and only works to set back automotive safety and jeopardize Tesla's and the entire industry's efforts to develop and implement life-saving technology. We plan to appeal given the substantial errors of law and irregularities at trial. Even though this jury found that the driver was overwhelmingly responsible for this tragic accident in 2019, the evidence has always shown that this driver was solely at fault because he was speeding, with his foot on the accelerator—which overrode Autopilot—as he rummaged for his dropped phone without his eyes on the road. To be clear, no car in 2019, and none today, would have prevented this crash. This was never about Autopilot; it was a fiction concocted by plaintiffs’ lawyers blaming the car when the driver—from day one—admitted and accepted responsibility."

So, you admit that the company’s marketing has continued to lie for the past six years?

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[–] fodor@lemmy.zip -3 points 1 day ago (3 children)

On what grounds? Only certain things can be appealed, not "you're wrong" gut feelings.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Just a further follow up - you actually can appeal that the jury was just outright wrong, but that would be an ~~really hard~~ impossible case to win here, i doubt thats what they would try. But just as an FYI

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/judgment_notwithstanding_the_verdict_(jnov)

A judgment notwithstanding the verdict (JNOV) is a judgment by the trial judge after a jury has issued a verdict, setting aside the jury's verdict and entering a judgment in favor of the losing party without a new trial. A JNOV is very similar to a directed verdict except for the timing within a trial. A judge will issue a JNOV if he or she determines that no reasonable jury could have reached the jury’s verdict based on the evidence presented at trial, or if the jury incorrectly applied the law in reaching its verdict.

edit: Added emphasis there as well, which they could maybe try I guess given their error of law comment.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Well, their lawyers stated "We plan to appeal given the substantial errors of law and irregularities at trial"

They can also appeal the actual awards separately as being disproportionate. The amount is pretty ridiculous given the circumstances even if the guilty verdict stands.

There was some racial discrimination suit Tesla lost, and the guy was awarded 137 million. Tesla appealed the amount and got it reduced to 15 million. The guy rejected the 15 million and wanted a retrial on the award, and then got 3.2 million.

[–] Redredme@lemmy.world -5 points 23 hours ago (3 children)

Thats not a gut feeling. That's how every cruise control since it was invented in the 70s works. You press the brake or the accelerator? Cruise control (and autopilot) = off.

That's not a gut feeling, that's what stated in the manual.

[–] atrielienz@lemmy.world 7 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

No. Press the brake and it turns off. Press the accelerator in lots of cars and it will speed up but return to the cruise control set speed when you release the accelerator. And further, Tesla doesn't call it cruise control and the founder of Tesla has been pretty heavily misleading about what the system is and what it does. So.

[–] Redredme@lemmy.world -5 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Yeah, sure.

You sound like one of those people who are the reason why we find the following warning on microwave ovens:

WARNING: DO NOT TRY TO DRY PETS IN THIS DEVICE.

And on plastic bags:

WARNING: DO NOT PLACE OVER HEAD.

We both know that this is not what it's for. And it (model S) has never been cleared ANYWHERE ON THIS GLOBE as an autonomous vehicle.

(Adaptive with lane assist and collision detection) Cruise control/autopilot on, foot on accelerator, no eyes on the road, no hands on the steering wheel. That's malice. There where visible, audible and even tactile warnings wich this guy ignored.

No current day vehicle (or something from 2019) has in it's manual that this is use as intended. As a matter of fact all warn you to not do that.

And I get that you hate Tesla/Musk, don't we all. But in this case only 1 person is responsible. The asshole driving it.

[–] atrielienz@lemmy.world 5 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

Nope. I'm correcting you because apparently most people don't even know how their cruise control works. But feel however you feel.

[–] Squirrelanna@lemmynsfw.com 5 points 16 hours ago

That's not how cruise control works and I have never seen cruise control marketed in a such a way that would make anyone believe it was smart enough to stop a car crash.

[–] theangryseal@lemmy.world 17 points 23 hours ago (2 children)

I’ve never had one that turns it off if I accelerate.

They’ve all shut off if I tapped the brakes though.

[–] derpgon@programming.dev 5 points 20 hours ago

Yep, can confirm works for my car too. If I press the gas pedal enough I can go faster than set cruise speed (for example, if I want to pass someone). If I lightly tap brakes, it turns kinda immediately.

[–] Buffalobuffalo@reddthat.com 2 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

What happens when you hit the gas while in cruise control? In all the cards I have driven, you go faster than the set speed and the car responds to your pedal movements. I guess we can debate if we call that stopped or just paused, but it is certainly not ignoring your acceleration.

[–] theangryseal@lemmy.world 1 points 17 hours ago

Well, yeah, you can call it “paused” if you want to. The cruise control definitely stays on though and resumes the set speed when you stop accelerating. It completely disengages when you brake though, so I’ve never thought of it as turning off when I accelerate, only when braking.