Tesla Autopilot Lawsuit to Proceed to Trial, Florida Judge Rules

Judge cites 'genuine dispute' over Autopilot's risk, opening door for potential punitive damages against Tesla.

Florida judge Reid Scott has ruled that a lawsuit blaming Tesla's Autopilot for the death of driver Jeremy Banner can proceed to trial.
Judge Scott found that Banner's attorneys presented sufficient evidence to let the case proceed, including the possibility of seeking punitive damages from Tesla.
The lawsuit accuses Tesla and Elon Musk of overselling the capabilities of the Autopilot system, implying that the cars are self-driving and don't require the driver's full attention.
Judge Scott cited other fatal crashes involving Autopilot and a 'genuine dispute' over whether Tesla 'created a foreseeable zone of risk that posed a general threat of harm to others.'
Banner's attorneys have argued that by naming the system Autopilot, Musk and Tesla implied that the cars are self-driving and don't require the driver's full attention.