Tesla engineers testifying in a lawsuit filed by the family of a driver killed in a 2019 crash stated that the company failed to address problems in its “Autopilot” driver-assistance technology after a deadly accident in 2016.that Tesla is facing legal challenges over its Autopilot system, which has been linked to fatal crashes in Florida along with many other states.
According to company engineer Chris Payne’s testimony in 2021, as cited in a recent court filing, the Autopilot system was not designed to detect cross traffic despite the company’s awareness of the possibility for error. Engineer Nicklas Gustafsson provided a similar account in a 2021 deposition. The lawsuit was brought by the family of Jeremy Banner, a 50-year-old father of three who had switched on Autopilot 10 seconds before his Model 3 plowed into the underbelly of a tractor-trailer in 2019. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board found that Banner probably didn’t see the truck crossing a two-lane highway on his way to work. Autopilot failed to “see” the truck at the same time.
Tesla has been under increasing legal pressure from consumers, investors, regulators, and federal prosecutors who are questioning whether the company has over-hyped its progress toward self-driving vehicles during the last eight years.
Tesla contends it has been transparent about Autopilot’s limitations, including challenges with detecting traffic crossing in front of its cars. The company warns in its owner’s manual and car screens that drivers must be alert and ready to take control of vehicles at any time.