Judge Upholds $243 Million Verdict Against Tesla in Fatal Autopilot Crash

A federal judge in Miami has upheld a jury's decision, requiring Tesla to pay $243 million to the family of a woman killed and a man injured in a 2019 crash involving its Autopilot system. The ruling on Friday denied Tesla's motions to throw out the verdict or grant a new trial.

The case stems from a collision in Key Largo, Florida. George McGee, driving a Tesla Model S with Enhanced Autopilot engaged, dropped his phone. He testified that he believed the system would handle obstacles. Instead, the car accelerated through an intersection at over 60 mph, striking Dillon Angulo and Naibel Benavides, who were standing near a parked car. Benavides, 22, was killed; Angulo was severely injured.

In her order, U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom stated the trial evidence strongly supported the jury's 2025 finding of partial liability for Tesla. "There was no error," she wrote.

"Judge Bloom's decision to uphold the verdict was expected, but it confirms the jury correctly saw how Autopilot and Tesla's descriptions of it contributed to this tragedy," said Brett Schreiber, lead counsel for the plaintiffs. Tesla's attorneys did not immediately comment.

The legal defeat arrives as Tesla attempts to advance its autonomous driving ambitions. CEO Elon Musk recently projected a widespread U.S. robotaxi network by year's end, but the company currently operates only a small pilot service in Austin, Texas, lagging behind established commercial services from competitors like Waymo.

During post-trial arguments, Tesla's legal team from Gibson Dunn sought to drastically reduce the damages, proposing a maximum $23 million payout. Judge Bloom rejected those appeals, leaving the full jury award intact.

Source: CNBC