Tesla must pay the plaintiffs $200 million in punitive damages, the jury said.

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?

  • Buffalox@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1011·
    2 months ago

    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.

    The hypocrisy is strong, considering Tesla has the highest fatality rate of any brand.

    • namingthingsiseasy@programming.devEnglish
      451·
      2 months ago

      Not to mention tone-deaf. Maybe you shouldn’t talk about life-saving technology when your technology anti-saved a life…

      And that’s ignoring the fact that they’re using inferior technology. Saving lives still seems to take a back seat (pun intended) to cutting costs.

        • Cyrus Draegur@lemmy.zipEnglish
          21·
          2 months ago

          The snopes article indicates that the study cited for reporting Tesla cars to have the most fatalities per billion miles driven cannot be validated

          In sum, while the claims across social media are correct in saying a study did find Tesla to have the highest fatal accident rate of any car brand, the study itself uses data that is not available to the public. Therefore, although this does not mean the data is incorrect, it does mean that ensuring the study’s accuracy is not possible at this time.

          • Buffalox@lemmy.worldEnglish
            42·
            2 months ago

            If the data is incorrect, I would expect Tesla to file suit for libel.

            Well we have other datapoints too, like the fact that here in Denmark Tesla fail a third of the initial 4 year safety check, without comparison the highest of any brand. That’s not being a beacon of safety, no AI no-matter how good can make a car with faulty brakes or steering safe.

          • Buffalox@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            2 months ago

            I just linked a site that quoted the study.
            If it’s not factual, how come Tesla doesn’t sue the shit out of those who published the study?

            But admittedly it was a poor choice of article to link. 😋