In what appears to be the first trial involving Tesla’s Autopilot feature, jurors told Reuters that the electric-vehicle maker clearly warned that the partially automated driving software was not a self-piloted system and that driver distraction was to blame.
A California state court jury found Tesla Inc (TSLA.O)’s Autopilot technology did not fail to perform safely and awarded plaintiff Justine Hsu zero damages on Friday.
Tesla’s semi-automated driving system, which CEO Elon Musk claims are safer than humans, will be the subject of many more experiments this year.
Experts say this trial’s outcome helps Tesla and other plaintiffs’ lawyers refine their techniques.
In 2020, Los Angeles resident Hsu sued the EV company, claiming her Tesla Model S drove into a curb while on Autopilot and the airbag deployed “so violently it fractured Plaintiff’s jaw, knocked out teeth, and caused nerve damage to her face.”
Tesla denied 2019 accident culpability.
After the judgment on Friday, juror Mitchell Vasseur, 63, told Reuters that he and his fellow jurors felt awful for Hsu but found Autopilot not guilty.
“Autopilot never admitted to self-piloting. Vasseur stated it’s not self-driving. “It’s an auto assist, and they were adamant about drivers needing always to be aware.”
Jury foreperson Olivia Apsher, 31, said the Autopilot technology alerts drivers when they are not in control.
“It’s your vehicle,” she said. “There are both audible and visual warnings for the driver, indicating that it is your responsibility.”
“The technology is something that’s assisting you and we want that message to be clear,” she said. Drivers should know that before employing those functionalities.
Hsu’s attorney, Donald Slavik, said the jury believed his client was preoccupied, but she only received a warning to place her hands on the wheel less than a second before the curb collision. Tesla did not immediately respond.
Tesla engineers testified in the three-week Los Angeles Superior Court trial.
Vasseur said Hsu’s accident could have been avoided if she had been more attention, a mistake anybody could make.
“I never use autopilot,” he remarked. “I don’t even use cruise control.”
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