Tesla Autopilot Crash Trial — Highlights from Opening Days

As we’ve reported, a trial has begun in Florida associated to a crash that occurred right here a handful of years in the past whereas the Tesla was on Autopilot. The driving force of the automobile didn’t die within the crash, however a bystander was. “Attorneys for the property of Benavides Leon contend that the Tesla Autopilot system malfunctioned and that malfunction was a proximate reason for the crash,” Steve Hanley wrote in a lengthy and detailed rationalization of the case.

The trial began on June 14, and, I’ve to say, CleanTechnica has not been within the courthouse listening to the arguments on either side, and I wasn’t even positive if we’d find yourself masking this once more, however I’ve obtained some notes and highlights relating to the opening days of the trial, and so they actually pulled me in and include some fascinating insights, so I figured others wish to see these notes as nicely. Right here’s what RebuttalPR despatched over:

TRANSCRIPTS: TESLA TRIAL OVER AUTOPILOT CRASH; DAYS 1, 2 AND 3 COMPLETE

The primary third-party wrongful dying trial in opposition to Tesla started in Miami’s federal courthouse on Monday, July 14th.

As the primary three days wrapped up, we heard opening arguments from either side and testimonies for the Emergency Medical Providers responder and Florida Freeway Patrol Officer on-scene in addition to Dr. Mendel Singer, an knowledgeable in biodata statistics and evaluation. The jury additionally heard elements of a deposition of Tesla Autopilot Firmware Engineer Akshay Phatak. On Wednesday, former NHTSA Senior Security Advisor Mary Louise “Missy” Cummings took the stand for a full day of testimony and cross examination.

Listed below are a number of the key moments:

Trial transcripts for the primary three Days of the trial can be found at this Dropbox hyperlink.

Corporal David Riso, lead visitors murder investigator with the Florida Freeway Patrol

Throughout his investigation, Riso tried to retrieve the autonomous knowledge from Tesla however by no means obtained it. Riso had taken the pc parts from the automobile after coordinating with the NTSB.

• When making an attempt to retrieve the info, the Tesla technician informed Riso that the file was corrupted. (Day 2 AM, 57)
• He additionally mentioned that the Tesla technician’s sworn affidavit concerning the knowledge retrieval course of was “unfaithful” (Day 2 AM, 59)
• Had he been given the info, Riso mentioned “I’d have integrated it in my report. I additionally would have contacted the NTSB and US DOT who have been inquiring concerning the crash, I’d have talked to my supervisor first and let him know to the give the info to the federal government company that wished it.” (Day 2 AM, 60)

Dr. Mendel Singer, knowledgeable statistician and Professor at Case Western College Faculty of Medication

When requested to evaluate the validity of Tesla’s Car Security Report:

• “I’m not conscious of any printed examine, any reviews which are finished independently…the place [Tesla] really had uncooked knowledge and will validate it to see does it are inclined to make sense.” (Day2 PM, 79)
• He elaborated on the discrepancies, noting that the “overwhelming majority for the crashes for non-Teslas that they’re counting or crashes that they wouldn’t depend in a Tesla, as a result of non-Teslas crashes are counted primarily based on police reviews, no matter security system deployment. (Day 2 PM, 81)
• “[Tesla] incorrectly acknowledged on the web site that they’re solely counting crashes with mild automobiles below 10,000 kilos, however mainly extra passenger automobiles, however that’s really not true. For those who really do the mathematics from the reviews they really use the miles and crashes for all automobiles one other street whether or not it’s a bus, whether or not it’s a semi truck whether or not it’s a mistake it’s simply all lumped collectively.” (Day 2 PM, 83)

Discussing Tesla’s crash knowledge from their web site:

• “There have been some errors. So on the web site they only – theydon’t have the previous numbers on the web site. They only modified all of the numbers going again to replace it in order that these corrections are made in all the info they’re saying is now right now, however was improper for the final 4 years.” (Day 2 PM, 85)
• “There’s no rationalization, you understand, why was the info improper for 4 years? And there’s no rationalization given why the info was so improper for Autopilot off however not for Autopilot on.” (Day 2 PM, 86)
• “The query will get again to validating knowledge. So if the entire miles are improper, why didn’t they validate it and verify? Let’s add up the miles Autopilot on and off, add it up does that equal the entire miles. Why wouldn’t they’ve checked that? Why is it that it may be improper, you understand, so improper.” (Day 2 PM, 87)
• Attorneys for the plaintiffs requested Singer: “So is it truthful to say if Tesla working opposing Autopilot blasts threw an intersection, hitting a toddler, who then goes flyer, however pre-tensioner doesn’t fireplace or air bag doesn’t deploy, below Tesla’s crash counts, that’s not a crash?
  • Singer replied: “That’s right.” (Day 2 PM, 80)
• Singer unequivocally acknowledged that if Tesla’s report have been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal he edited, “That will have been a extremely fast and simple rejection.” (Day 2 PM, 90)

Deposition of Akshay Phatak, Autopilot Firmware Engineer at Tesla Motors (Day 2 PM)

• Phatak was not within the courtroom, so his deposition was performed.
• Phatak was requested if previous to 2018 Tesla maintained any data on security ranges of their automobiles with and with out Autopilot engaged:
  • “We didn’t have a selected documentation for crashes, sure.” (Day 2 PM, 140)
• Previous to March of 2018, did Tesla preserve any data or knowledge that stored observe of the variety of crashes that occurred per automobile mile pushed with Autopilot engaged?
  • “No.” (Day 2 PM, 141)

• On day 3, Dr. Missy Cummings was requested if there was any Tesla knowledge supporting their claims that they’d probably the most sturdy set of warnings in opposition to driver misuse or abuse ever deployed. She was requested if it was possible for them to enhance their warnings within the years previous to this case’s crash.
  • “Right. In Phatak’s deposition, it was clear they knew that they’d an enormous drawback with folks ignoring the warnings. Ignoring the hands-on requests. And…as you understand, previous to this accident. It was recognized to Tesla that they have been having issues with folks ignoring their warnings.” (Day 3 AM, 61)

Mary Louise “Missy” Cummings, former Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration Senior Security Advisor (Day 3 AM/PM)

• “It’s my skilled opinion that Tesla’s Autopilot is flawed as a result of Tesla figuring out permits the automobile to be operated in operational domains for which it’s explicitly not designed for.” (Day 3 AM, 28)
• When requested if she has “any opinion as to why Tesla selected to not geofence its expertise in 2019”, Missy Cummings mentioned “I imagine that they have been utilizing that as a approach to promote extra vehicles.” (Day 3 AM, 52)
• After a deposition of Tesla Company Consultant Eloy Rubio Blanco was performed the place Rubio Blanco admitted that “as of 2019 Automated Emergency Braking wouldn’t fireplace within the state of affairs of a T intersection collision,” Missy Cummings mentioned the constraints of AEB weren’t disclosed to Tesla automobile homeowners (Day 3 PM, 35)
• When requested if what Elon Musk mentioned in 2016 {that a} Tesla manufacturing automobile might “drive safer than a human,” Cummings mentioned “it wasn’t true then and it isn’t true now.” (Day 3 PM, 71-72)

Proceedings in Benavides v. Tesla started on Monday, July 14, 2025 on the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. U.S. Courthouse in entrance of the Honorable Decide Beth Bloom. Dillon Angulo and the household of Naibel Benavides are represented by lead legal professional Brett Schreiber alongside attorneys Adam Boumel and Todd Poses.

There are a selection of fascinating, or you may say odd, issues in there about Tesla’s Autopilot crash knowledge, and the shortage of third get together knowledge entry or evaluation.

It’s not clear if that is actually only a one-off case or if there are going to be some essential implications for Tesla and its driver-assist methods. We’ll see….