Loading News Article...
We're loading the full news article for you. This includes the article content, images, author information, and related articles.
/
/
We're loading the full news article for you. This includes the article content, images, author information, and related articles.
Tesla settled two lawsuits over 2019 fatal crashes involving Autopilot, highlighting growing legal and regulatory pressure on the carmaker's self-driving ambitions.
San Francisco, United States – Tesla has reached confidential settlements in two lawsuits stemming from 2019 fatal crashes in California involving its Autopilot driver-assistance system.
The cases—one in Alameda County where a Model 3 rear-ended another vehicle causing a rollover that killed a 15-year-old boy, and another in Gardena where a Model S ran a red light and struck a Honda Civic—were both scheduled for trial next month before being resolved through settlements.
Court documents confirm that the terms remain undisclosed and that dismissals depend on satisfactory completion of settlement conditions.
The settlements come shortly after a $243 million jury verdict in August involving a separate Florida crash, marking one of Tesla’s most significant legal defeats to date.
Key developments:
New legal strategy: Tesla has hired additional lawyers and plans to appeal the Florida ruling.
Multiple ongoing lawsuits: Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology remain at the center of nationwide litigation.
Valuation stakes: With a $1.4 trillion market capitalization, Tesla’s future growth narrative—especially its robotaxi ambitions—faces heightened risk from safety controversies.
Analysts emphasize that private settlements do not halt federal investigations. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) continues to examine:
Dozens of crashes involving Tesla vehicles using Autopilot.
Driver monitoring systems and fail-safes in semi-autonomous vehicles.
Potential misleading marketing claims around self-driving capabilities.
Consumer advocates are calling for stricter labeling rules, improved driver alerts, and more transparent safety reporting from Tesla and other automakers experimenting with autonomous technologies.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has long championed robotaxis and full autonomy as the company’s future. However, experts warn that:
Public trust could erode if safety concerns overshadow technological breakthroughs.
Regulatory delays might slow the rollout of FSD upgrades and autonomous fleet services.
Investor confidence hinges on Tesla proving both technical reliability and legal compliance in key markets.
Ongoing litigation: More Autopilot-related lawsuits remain active across the U.S.
Federal oversight: Expect NHTSA findings and possible policy recommendations in the coming months.
Product roadmap: Tesla continues to push FSD Beta releases despite mounting legal and regulatory hurdles.
