California jury backs Tesla in Autopilot crash case

A California jury has determined that a 2019 crash involving a Tesla was not the fault of a defect in the vehicle's Autopilot feature.

The crash saw plaintiffs Lindsay Molander and her son, Parker Austin, sustain serious injuries after driver Micah Lee swerved off the road, resulting in his death. The pair sued the automaker in 2020.

The trio were riding in a Tesla Model 3 and the surviving passengers sued the company, arguing that the vehicle's Autopilot had been responsible for the crash. The company had pointed to Lee's consumption of alcohol prior to the incident, though his BAC reportedly fell below the state threshold to be considered intoxicated, the New York Times reported.

The jury backed the electric vehicle manufacturer 9-3, according to The Hill. 

Tesla's Autopilot feature does not fully render a vehicle capable of independent operation and the company asserts that a driver must remain at attention even while using it. Tesla founder Elon Musk has invested heavily in self-driving technology, though even the advanced "Full Self-Driving" software does not fully render the driver unnecessary as of yet.

"This product is doing a really good job. Autopilot is helping people and making the world safer for all of us," Tesla attorney Michael Carey said.

The Tuesday court win marks the first victory for Tesla involving Autopilot and a fatal crash and the latest court win for the company involving the feature after securing a win involving a non-lethal crash earlier this year.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.