[KARAH RUCKER]
TESLA HAS REACHED A SETTLEMENT WITH THE FAMILY OF AN APPLE ENGINEER WHO DIED USING THE COMPANY’S AUTOPILOT DRIVING SOFTWARE IN A 2018 CRASH NEAR SAN FRANCISCO.
THE SETTLEMENT WAS REACHED JUST BEFORE THE TRIAL WAS SET TO START THIS WEEK — THE TERMS REMAIN UNDISCLOSED.
THE LAWSUIT ACCUSED TESLA AND CEO ELON MUSK OF MISLEADING CONSUMERS ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY’S CAPABILITIES, CONTRIBUTING TO THE BELIEF THAT DRIVERS DID NOT NEED TO WATCH THE ROAD WHEN USING AUTOPILOT.
THE CRASH OCCURRED AS 38-YEAR-OLD WALTER HUANG (WONG) USED AUTOPILOT ON HIS COMMUTE TO WORK. Reuters says evidence SUGGESTS THAT HUANG WAS PLAYING A VIDEO GAME ON HIS PHONE WHEN HE CRASHED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY
THIS CASE IS AMONG SEVERAL IN THE U.S. SCRUTINIZING TESLA’S TECHNOLOGY, INCLUDING A JUSTICE DEPARTMENT INQUIRY INTO HOW TESLA MARKETS ITS SELF-DRIVING CAPABILITIES.