Overview

• The jury allocated $43 million in compensatory damages to victims’ families and imposed $200 million in punitive fines to penalize Tesla’s conduct
• Plaintiffs introduced forensic data showing the Autopilot system failed to detect a parked SUV as the driver reached for his cellphone
• Tesla condemned the ruling as “erroneous” and maintained that driver distraction, not its software, caused the collision
• Legal experts say the decision sets a new benchmark for at least a dozen ongoing Autopilot lawsuits and may intensify NHTSA oversight of semi-autonomous cars
• Observers warn the verdict could heighten liability risks for Tesla’s push into full self-driving services and future robotaxi deployments