A Miami judge has ordered Tesla to pay $243 million following a fatal crash involving its Autopilot system in Florida in 2019. This ruling stems from key vehicle data that was uncovered thanks to a local hacker.
The decision, reached last month in federal court, found Tesla partly responsible for the tragic accident that resulted in the death of 22-year-old Nybel Benavides Leon and left her boyfriend, Dillon Anglo, seriously injured.
The judge noted that Tesla’s own system had recorded a “collision snapshot” just before the incident.
Tesla had maintained that the crash was solely the fault of driver George McGee, insisting to the court that the manual was clear—emphasizing that “this crash has nothing to do with Tesla’s autopilot technology.”
However, the court sided with parts of the families’ claims, asserting that Tesla had misled them for years regarding available data.
The hacker, known online as @greentheonly, managed to recover a snapshot that had been deleted last fall. He found it in mere minutes and confirmed that it was transmitted to Tesla’s servers shortly after the crash.
The data indicated that the vehicle was approximately 116 feet away when the Tesla cameras first detected the couple’s parked truck at about 170 feet away.
During the trial, Tesla’s lawyer, Joel Smith, admitted the company was “clumsy” in its data management but denied any intent to deceive.
He acknowledged that the newly discovered information turned out to be “surprisingly useful.” Meanwhile, the plaintiffs claimed that Tesla failed to adequately warn drivers about the road closure and misled investigators about the data prior to officers’ arrival.
The verdict represents a rare courtroom loss for Tesla’s driver-assist technology. The company has dealt with numerous other autopilot-related lawsuits, some of which were settled quietly, but this case has significantly impacted Tesla’s handling of crash data in the eyes of the court.
Following this decision, the ramifications extend beyond Florida; a shareholder lawsuit in Texas cites this ruling, alleging that Tesla deceived investors concerning its autonomy claims.
Another case involving a fatal crash connected to the autopilot feature is set for trial this fall, with lawyers promising to seek upwards of a billion dollars.
Tesla has requested the judge to overturn the Miami verdict or to order a new trial, arguing that the data dispute is not pertinent.
The company has indicated it will appeal if necessary to continue the legal battle regarding accountability when experimental software meets distracted driving.
For the families of Angulo and Benavides, this isn’t just about financial restitution but about shedding light on Tesla’s litigation practices.
“We feel relieved that the world knows, but it doesn’t change anything for us,” said Niema, Nybel’s sister.
“My sister is not here, and there’s nothing that can bring her back.”
This post has reached out for comment from Tesla.
