Involved in the case a Fatal crash in March 2018, when a Tesla on Autopilot rammed a highway barrier near Mountain View, California. after being confused by what the company’s lawyers described in court documents as a “blurred and almost obliterated” lane line. Walter Huang, father of two and The Apple engineer, on his morning commute, was reportedly playing a game on his phone while his Tesla drove itself down US$101. Documents filed in the lawsuit show that Huang’s vehicle on Autopilot “blurred and almost erased” from the lane line and then began following him. A clear left lane line, which put him in the path of the highway safety barrier separating the 101 from the State Route 85 exit while going 71 mph.
Huang, 38, was killed. A later investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board cited Tesla’s failure to limit the use of Autopilot in such situations: The company admitted to the National Transportation Safety Board that Autopilot was “clear lane marking” Designed for areas with
The settlement is a surprising twist in the high-profile case, which Tesla has been fighting since April 2019 when it filed suit against Huang’s family. Responsive because it alerts drivers that they are ultimately in control of the vehicle while on autopilot.
Tesla argues that it “makes it abundantly clear” that the driver must be fully alert and hands on the wheel when using Autopilot, and the company also states in its user manual that the technology “uses lane departure warning.” Cannot operate accordingly if unable to accurately determine markings” or when “bright light is interfering with the camera’s view.” Huang’s hands were off the wheel within seconds of the crash, according to court documents.
The issue in this case was whether these warnings were sufficient to protect the company from all liability when it knew of an omission, but still put the onus on the driver to correct his mistakes. Tesla has known for years that blurred lane lines could be a problem, according to complaints filed with NHTSA, gathered by top company engineers and federal investigators.
Ed Walters, who teaches autonomous vehicle law at Georgetown Law, said he was surprised Tesla decided to settle the case because the facts of Huang’s accident were “favorable” to Tesla. As the Huang case echoes a number of other cases across the country scheduled for trial later this year or early next, many observers were watching the case closely as an indication of his future actions. Ability to set an example.
The results of those trials are important to the company’s future and to Musk, who has said Tesla has “basically zero” if its cars aren’t able to drive themselves. Tesla has prevailed so far: A jury last year found the company not liable in a case over the alleged role of its Autopilot technology in a 2019 crash in Riverside County, California.
Settlements are a good way for the company to “manage risk,” Walters said, because jury trials can yield “highly unpredictable results.” The trial was expected to last several weeks, according to the family’s lawyers.
“This may be a sign that Tesla is taking a strong settlement position for early cases, waiting to litigate until its software becomes more advanced,” he said. ” But he added that he was “surprised that this case settled. I thought Tesla would want to litigate these facts.”