The case involves a fatal crash in March 2018, when a Tesla in Autopilot careened into a highway barrier near Mountain View, Calif., after getting confused by what the company’s lawyers described in court documents as a “faded and nearly obliterated” lane line.
Walter Huang, a father of two and Apple engineer on his morning commute, was allegedly playing a game on his phone while his Tesla steered itself down U.S. 101.
Documents showed his vehicle on Autopilot drifted from a “faded and nearly obliterated” lane line and then began following a clearer lane line to the left, which put him in the path of a highway safety barrier separating the 101 from an exit to State Route 85 while going 71 mph.
Huang, 38, was killed. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board later cited Tesla’s failure to limit the use of Autopilot in such conditions as a contributing factor: The company has acknowledged to National Transportation Safety Board that Autopilot is designed for areas with “clear lane markings.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.