Tesla must pay $329 million in damages after fatal Autopilot crash, jury says

Core Viewpoint - A jury in Miami has found Tesla partly liable for a fatal crash involving its Autopilot system, resulting in a compensation order of $329 million to the victims' family and an injured survivor [1][6]. Group 1: Legal Proceedings - The lawsuit focused on the responsibility for a deadly crash that occurred in Key Largo, Florida, involving a Tesla Model S driven by George McGee using Enhanced Autopilot [2]. - The trial began on July 14 in the Southern District of Florida, with the plaintiffs initially seeking around $345 million in damages [1]. Group 2: Incident Details - During the incident, McGee dropped his mobile phone and believed that the Enhanced Autopilot would automatically brake for obstacles, but the vehicle accelerated through an intersection at over 60 miles per hour, colliding with a parked car and its owners [3]. - Naibel Benavides, a 22-year-old, died at the scene, while her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, survived but sustained severe injuries including multiple broken bones and a traumatic brain injury [4]. Group 3: Tesla's Autopilot System - The plaintiffs' attorney criticized Tesla for designing the Autopilot system for controlled access highways but allowing its use in other environments, claiming that Tesla's misleading statements about the system's capabilities endangered lives [5]. - The verdict comes at a time when Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, is attempting to position the company as a leader in autonomous vehicles, despite concerns about the safety of its self-driving technology [6]. Group 4: Market Reaction - Following the verdict, Tesla's shares fell by 1.5%, contributing to a 25% decline for the year, marking the largest drop among major tech companies [6].