A federal court in Southern Florida has ruled that Tesla must pay $243 million in damages for a fatal accident involving its autopilot system. The judge, Beth Bloom, denied Tesla's efforts to overturn the jury's verdict and request a new trial, affirming that the evidence presented sufficiently supported the jury’s findings. The case stems from a 2019 incident where a Tesla Model S, allegedly disregarding a stop sign and a red flashing traffic light, collided with a parked SUV, resulting in the death of a 20-year-old woman and serious injuries to her boyfriend.

The lawsuit was filed by the victim's family, who argued that the autopilot system failed to detect road boundaries and obstacles appropriately and that Tesla did not adequately warn drivers of the potential dangers associated with its autopilot feature. Testimony during the trial indicated that the Tesla driver had become distracted while attempting to retrieve a dropped phone, mistakenly trusting that the vehicle's systems would brake for any obstacles ahead. Despite Tesla's defense, which claimed that the driver was at fault for reckless behavior, the jury sided with the plaintiffs, leading to this significant ruling against the company.

Tesla is expected to appeal the ruling, with CEO Elon Musk previously indicating a willingness to fight the verdict on social media. The outcome of this case could have broader implications for the future of autonomous driving systems and manufacturers' liabilities in accidents where these technologies are involved, as it highlights ongoing concerns related to the safety and reliability of such semi-autonomous features.