Naibel Benavides Leon was just 22 when her life was cut short on a Florida road. She and her boyfriend had pulled over and stepped out of their SUV. Then, in an instant, a Tesla Model S hit them at 60 miles per hour. The car was in Autopilot mode.
The tragedy is now the centerpiece of a federal trial that could shape how people see driver-assist technology — and how much they trust it.
What's happening?
According to mid-July reporting from Local 10 News, day two of testimony in the Miami courtroom featured a major warning from Mary Cummings, a George Mason University professor and former senior advisor to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. She called Tesla's Autopilot system "defective."
Cummings also told jurors that Tesla's approach to monitoring driver behavior is insufficient. She said the company's messaging encourages "the abuse and misuse" of the system, according to the local outlet, and gives users a false sense of safety.
The trial focuses on a 2019 car crash in Key Largo. Benavides and Dillon Angulo had exited their SUV when a Tesla in Autopilot mode struck them. Benavides was killed, while Angulo suffered serious injuries.
Body camera footage from the crash shows driver George McGee telling police he had dropped his phone and was reaching down to pick it up when the collision occurred.
Tesla's legal team is arguing the crash was the result of human error rather than a system failure. They say data shows McGee's foot was on the accelerator, overriding Autopilot.
Why is this case important?
If Autopilot isn't working the way many drivers assume it should, public safety could be at risk. A system labeled "Autopilot" might suggest it's ready to take over for a driver, but as this case shows, that trust could come at a cost if the technology doesn't actually function that way.
The outcome could also slow adoption of electric vehicles, which are better for human health and the environment than gas-powered cars and trucks. If people question the tech, they may hesitate to buy.
There have been other concerns around Tesla's systems of late. In one situation, a Tesla owner shared dashcam footage showing Full Self-Driving successfully avoiding a crash. But another driver described how Autopilot nearly led to disaster. And some users have reported inconsistencies with features like FSD, including poor performance in busy traffic.
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Federal regulators and safety advocates are watching the Florida trial closely. In addition to some measure of solace for the victims and their loved ones, cases like this may lead to the development of clearer guidelines, improved training, and stricter oversight of driver-assist systems and their marketing.
As for everyday drivers? The safest course of action is to stay informed.
Anyone considering an EV can compare safety assessments across brands. While many prospective buyers looking to adopt an EV for its climate and economic benefits may once have been aware only of Tesla's options, there is now an array from which to choose, each with different attributes to suit the growing EV driver base.
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