Tesla Gets Sued After A Model S Crashed On The Highway

Earlier this month, a Tesla’s Model S car rammed into an abandoned vehicle on the highway when its Autopilot feature was on. Now, Shawn Hudson, the car’s owner, is suing the company for the feature which was not as reliable as the company advertised.

The incident was revealed by the Orlando Sentinel, in which Hudson said his car was moving at 80 miles per hour before ramming into a stationary car in a passing lane.

Shawn Husdon

Hudson explained that he was looking up and down at the phone because he did not totally trust the car. Then at a moment when he looked up, there appeared a disabled car in the passing lane on the Turnpike. The Model S owner said he suffered from “severe” and “permanent” head and neck injuries. Soon enough, Hudson sued Tesla following the accident.

To complain about the car, Hudson said although Tesla said the feature was made to use at highway speed. The Model S failed to detect stationary objects, like an abandoned car or any other foreseeable highway hazard. This incident poses high risks of accidents including crashes which can result in severe injuries or even deaths.

Shawn Hudson's Model S after the accident

In his response, spokesman of Tesla pointed out that the Autopilot feature’s behavior was based on its design, and it requires the driver to keep his/ her eyes on the road, reported by the Sentinel. Particularly, Tesla spokesperson stated that when drivers launch autopilot, they are responsible for remaining attention on their surroundings and controlling the car all the time. The company has always emphasized that the feature does not protect the car as well as its driver from every accident. Plus, it provided clear instruction about what the feature does and doesn’t do.

This is not the first lawsuit coming up about the Autopilot’s efficiency and reliability. For instance, last month, Tesla was sued by a woman for exaggerating the feature’s capability.