Tesla has been testing and rolling out its Autopilot and more advanced "Full Self-Driving " system, which Chief Executive Elon Musk has touted as crucial to his company's future but which has drawn regulatory and legal scrutiny.
Tesla denied liability for the accident and said in a court filing that Hsu used Autopilot on city streets, despite a user manual warning against doing so. Hsu broke down in tears outside the courtroom after the jury delivered its verdict. One of her attorneys, Donald Slavik, expressed disappointment with the result. Tesla attorney Michael Carey declined to comment.
The Hsu trial unfolded in Los Angeles Superior Court over three weeks, with testimony from three Tesla engineers. The company has been bracing for a spate of other trials related to the semi-automated driving system, which Musk has claimed is safer than human drivers. "While Tesla won this battle, they may end up losing the war," he said, with people realizing Tesla's tech is "far from becoming fully autonomous" despite Musk's repeated promises over years.