The Facts
On Friday, a California state court jury ruled that Tesla isn't responsible for a 2019 crash involving its partially automated driving software, Autopilot.
The jury awarded Justine Hsu, a resident of Los Angeles, who sued the electric car maker in 2020 — alleging negligence, fraud, and breach of contract — no damages.
The Spin
Narrative A
While Tesla may have escaped accountability in this particular case, it can't deny the reality that there have been dozens of accidents — many deadly — involving its auto-assist system. From the name of the technology to the company's manipulative marketing practices, it's no wonder that so many drivers overestimate it. Tesla must accept some responsibility.
Narrative B
The verdict is a wake-up call to Tesla owners — these are not self-driving cars, so they can't over-rely on Autopilot. They must always be ready to take complete control as Tesla's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Driver Assistance features don't make the cars fully autonomous. While anyone can blame Elon Musk for false and misleading assurances, the responsibility for such accidents rests solely on the person behind the wheel.
