Overview

• The jury assigned Tesla one-third of the fault for the April 2019 Model S crash in Key Largo, Florida, that killed Naibel Benavides and seriously injured her friend, Dillon Angulo.
• This ruling marks the first time a jury has held Tesla accountable for damages in an Autopilot-related fatality case.
• Compensatory damages total $129 million, with Tesla responsible for one-third of that award and the company covering the full $200 million punitive assessment, bringing its total obligation to $243 million.
• Tesla argues that Autopilot requires constant driver supervision and has announced plans to appeal the verdict on procedural grounds.
• Legal experts and regulators say the outcome could influence ongoing NHTSA probes and set a precedent for manufacturer liability in advanced driver-assist systems.