Tesla hit with 200 million dollar verdict over fatal Autopilot crash as damning evidence emerges

A Florida jury has ordered Tesla to pay more than 200 million dollars in a landmark case tied to the company's Autopilot driver assist system, marking one of the highest-profile legal blows to Elon Musk’s company. The 2019 crash killed 22-year-old Benavides Leon and left her boyfriend with severe injuries after a Tesla Model 3, driven by a distracted motorist using Autopilot, slammed into their parked SUV. The jury found Tesla 33% responsible and awarded 129 million dollars in compensatory damages and 200 million dollars in punitive damages.

Plaintiffs’ attorneys accused Tesla of knowingly exaggerating Autopilot’s capabilities while suppressing key crash data—information later uncovered by a forensic expert. Tesla denied wrongdoing but admitted it had overlooked the critical data, calling it a mistake. The company has vowed to appeal, arguing that “no car” could have prevented the accident and warning that the ruling could hinder progress in self-driving technology.

The verdict comes just as Tesla gears up for its US Robotaxi rollout. Legal experts say the case could trigger a flood of similar lawsuits, especially as more damning internal details surface. One attorney called it a “watershed moment” that may reshape public trust in Tesla’s automation claims.