This week, the electric vehicle giant Tesla found itself embroiled in a legal battle over its Autopilot system following a scheduled court appearance related to a wrongful death claim involving Wei “Walter” Huang, an engineer at Apple. However, instead of proceeding with the court case, Tesla appears to have reached a settlement with Huang’s family.
Court documents indicate that Tesla is seeking to keep the specifics of the settlement, including the financial compensation provided to the Huang family, confidential. Although the exact terms of the settlement remain undisclosed, Tesla’s legal representatives have confirmed that both parties have reached an agreement and wish to maintain confidentiality regarding the settlement terms.
While representatives for the Huang family have not yet responded to requests for comment, initial reports from The Washington Post and Bloomberg brought attention to the news of the settlement.
The tragic incident involving Huang occurred when his Tesla Model X, equipped with the Autopilot feature, collided with a safety barrier in Mountain View, California, in March 2018. Regrettably, Huang lost his life in the crash. Following an extensive investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), it was determined that both the Autopilot functionality and Huang’s distracted driving contributed to the accident.
Tesla had planned to present an argument in court that Huang was engaged in playing a game on his phone at the time of the collision. Investigators had uncovered a pattern of Huang playing games during his commute hours, and examination of his phone revealed that a game was the foremost application at the time of the crash. However, investigators were unable to definitively establish whether Huang was actively playing the game when the vehicle collided with the safety barrier.
The decision to settle the case rather than proceed with litigation reflects Tesla’s desire to resolve the matter outside of the courtroom. By opting for a settlement, Tesla aims to mitigate potential legal risks and uncertainties associated with a protracted legal battle while providing closure to the Huang family.