Overview

• The jury allocated 33% of fault to Tesla’s Autopilot system and 67% to driver George McGee, awarding $43 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages.
• Industry experts warn the ruling could complicate Tesla’s plans to deploy commercial robotaxis by heightening liability concerns over autonomous driving.
• Tesla called the verdict erroneous and signaled an immediate appeal, arguing it undermines advances in vehicle safety.
• Plaintiffs’ experts recovered data and video that Tesla initially resisted sharing, which showed the system failed to detect a red light.
• Federal regulators have documented hundreds of Autopilot-related crashes and are probing systemic safety gaps that could shape future oversight.