Tesla's Autopilot System Failed In Deadly 2022 Crash Involving Motorcyclist, Alleges Lawsuit

Tesla Inc. TSLA is being sued by the family of a motorcyclist who died in a 2022 crash involving a Tesla Model 3 on Autopilot in Utah. The lawsuit alleges that the driver assistant software and other safety features are “defective and inadequate.”

What Happened: The parents of Landon Embry, the motorcyclist who died in the crash, have filed a lawsuit against Tesla and the driver of the Model 3, Reuters reported on Thursday.

The lawsuit claims that the Autopilot was engaged at a speed of 75-80 miles per hour when it collided with the Harley Davidson motorcycle, throwing Embry off the bike and resulting in his death.

The lawsuit alleges that the driver of the Model 3 was “tired” and “not in a condition to drive as an ordinarily prudent driver.” It also states that the Autopilot sensors, including cameras, should have identified the motorcycle as a hazard and taken appropriate action to avoid the collision.

This lawsuit adds to the mounting criticism of Tesla’s driver assistant systems, Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD). In April, a Tesla Model S in “Full Self-Driving” mode was involved in a fatal crash that killed a motorcyclist in the Seattle area.

See Also: Former Tesla Exec Says Biden Administration’s Treatment Of EV Giant Was ‘Pretty Fair’ Despite Musk’s Allegations That It Would Rather The Company ‘Be Dead Than Not Unionized’

Why It Matters: This lawsuit is the latest in a series of incidents involving Tesla’s driver assistance technologies. In April, a fatal accident near Seattle involved a Tesla Model S using the FSD system, leading to the death of a motorcyclist. The driver admitted to being distracted by his phone while the vehicle was on Autopilot.

In February, safety advocacy group the Dawn Project ran ads during the Super Bowl, urging consumers to boycott Tesla due to safety concerns. The group’s founder, Dan O'Dowd, claimed that the FSD system “drives like a drunk teenager” and poses significant risks to public safety.

Despite these concerns, CEO Elon Musk has expressed confidence in the FSD technology. On Thursday, he stated that Tesla has a “clear path” to improving the performance of the FSD system, aiming to double the average miles between interventions.

Price Action: Tesla Inc.’s stock closed at $216.86 on Thursday, down 6.55% for the day. In after-hours trading, the stock increased slightly by 0.11%. Year to date, Tesla’s stock has declined by 12.70%, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote