Tesla Settle Lawsuit Over Driver Killed Using Autopilot

Tesla settled a lawsuit brought by the family of a man who died in a crash while using the company’s semi-autonomous driving software. Walter Huang was 38 years old when his Model X suddenly veered off to the left on a busy highway before crashing into a barrier in 2018. Evidence indicated that Huang was playing video games on his iPhone when it occurred, which prompted his family to file a suit against Tesla. The Huang family filed a negligence and wrongful death lawsuit in 2019, claiming that Tesla exaggerated the car’s self-driving capabilities. They believe that the Autopilot technology prompted drivers to believe that they didn’t have to remain vigilant while behind the wheel. Tesla opted not to disclose the sum paid when it settled the case the day before the trial was scheduled to begin, court documents said. The company, owned by Elon Musk, said it agreed to settle the case to “end years of litigation." Huang’s vehicle was traveling at over 70 miles per hour when it collided with a barrier in Mountain View, California. He left behind his wife and two children, now ages 12 and 9.