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Tesla challenges $243 million verdict in Autopilot death trial
TechCrunchยท 2025-08-29 18:37
Core Argument - Tesla is seeking to overturn a $243 million verdict related to a lawsuit involving its Autopilot system, claiming the decision contradicts Florida tort law and due process [1][6] Group 1: Case Details - The jury attributed two-thirds of the blame to the driver, George McGee, and one-third to Tesla in a case stemming from a 2019 crash in Florida [2] - The crash involved McGee driving a Tesla Model S at night while using the Autopilot system, which requires drivers to keep their hands on the wheel [2] - McGee's vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign, resulting in a collision that killed a 20-year-old and severely injured another individual [3] Group 2: Legal Arguments - Tesla's legal team argues that product liability laws should penalize manufacturers only when their products perform in ways that are unreasonably dangerous or defy consumer expectations [4] - The company claims that McGee's "extraordinary recklessness" was the primary cause of the accident, as he was distracted by his phone at the time of the crash [6] - Tesla's lawyers assert that the trial was improperly influenced by irrelevant evidence presented by the plaintiffs' counsel, which detracted from the specifics of the case [6]