Tesla Sued Over Fatal Autopilot Crash and Full Self-Driving Refund
Tesla faces litigation over a fatal 2019 Autopilot collision in Florida that killed a 22-year-old passenger and injured her boyfriend, and separately, a lawyer seeks a $10,000 refund for a Full Self-Driving package that he claims Tesla has not delivered as advertised.
What happened
On April 25, 2019, a Tesla Model S with Autopilot enabled struck a stationary Chevrolet Tahoe in Key Largo, Florida, traveling at over 60 miles per hour. The vehicle operator, George McGee, had activated Autopilot and was reportedly distracted when the collision occurred.
A lawyer and Tesla owner named Marc Dobin complained that Tesla failed to deliver the Full Self-Driving feature he purchased for $10,000 and demanded a refund. According to the complaint, the package is misleadingly named 'Full Self-Driving' despite requiring driver supervision in all situations.
Reported impact
Naibel Benavides Leon, 22 years old, died in the April 2019 collision. Her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, suffered severe injuries in the same crash.
Marc Dobin sought a refund for the Full Self-Driving package he purchased for his Tesla vehicle.
Index analysis
Tesla's Autopilot system did not prevent or mitigate the collision despite being engaged at the time of the crash. The litigation examines whether the system is safe and reliable for the purpose Tesla promotes.
Governance controls
The case was originally filed on April 23, 2021, in Florida state court and proceeded to federal court in Miami. Tesla is being tried to defend its Autopilot system in a wrongful death claim.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.