![\"A](\"https:\/\/wp-assets.futurism.com\/2022\/11\/manslaughter-case-tesla-autopilot-300x158.jpg\")
<\/div>A provocative manslaughter case is about to kick off in Los Angeles later this month, involving a fatal crash caused by a Tesla vehicle that had the company's controversial Autopilot feature turned on.<\/p>
It's the first case of its kind, and one that could set a precedent for future crashes involving cars and driver-assistance software, Reuters<\/em> reports<\/a>.<\/p> We won't know the exact defense until the case gets under way, but the crux is that the man who was behind the wheel of the Tesla is facing manslaughter charges — but has pleaded not guilty, setting up potentially novel legal arguments about culpability in a deadly collision when, technically speaking, it wasn't a human driving the car.<\/p> \"Who's at fault, man or machine?\" asked Edward Walters, an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University, in an interview with Reuters<\/em>. \"The state will have a hard time proving the guilt of the human driver because some parts of the task are being handled by Tesla.\"<\/p> The upcoming trial is about a fatal collision that took place in 2019. The crash involved Kevin George Aziz Riad, who ran a red light in his Tesla Model S, and collided with a Honda Civic, killing a couple who were reportedly on their first date.<\/p> According to vehicle data, Riad did not apply the brakes<\/a> but had a hand on the steering wheel. Perhaps most critically, though, the Tesla's Autopilot feature was turned on in the moments leading up to the crash.<\/p> Riad is facing manslaughter charges, with prosecutors arguing<\/a> his actions were reckless.<\/p> Meanwhile, Riad's lawyers have argued that he shouldn't be charged with a crime, but have so far stopped short of publicly placing blame on Tesla's Autopilot software.<\/p> Tesla is not directly implicated in the upcoming trial and isn't facing charges in the case, according to Reuters<\/em>.<\/p> A separate trial, however, involving the family of one of the deceased is already scheduled for next year — but this time, Tesla is the defendant.<\/p> \"I can't say that the driver was not at fault, but the Tesla system, Autopilot, and Tesla spokespeople encourage drivers to be less attentive,\" the family's attorney Donald Slavik told Reuters<\/em>.<\/p> \"Tesla knows people are going to use Autopilot and use it in dangerous situations,\" he added.<\/p> Tesla is already under heavy scrutiny over its Autopilot and so-called Full Self-Driving software, despite conceding that the features \"do not make the vehicle autonomous\" and that drivers must remain attentive of the road at all times.<\/p> Critics argue that Tesla's marketing is misleading and that it's only leading to more accidents — not making the roads safer, as Tesla CEO Elon Musk has argued<\/a> in the past.<\/p> In fact, a recent survey found<\/a> that 42 percent of Tesla Autopilot said they feel \"comfortable treating their vehicles as fully self-driving.\"<\/p> Regulators are certainly already paying attention. The news comes a week after Reuters<\/em> revealed<\/a> that the Department of Justice is investigating<\/a> Tesla over Autopilot.<\/p> Last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced<\/a> an investigation of accidents in which Teslas have smashed into emergency response vehicles that were pulled over with sirens or flares.<\/p> This month's trial certainly stands the chance of setting a precedent. Was Riad fully at fault or was Tesla's Autopilot at least partially to blame as well?<\/p> The answer now lies in the hands of a jury.<\/p> READ MORE: <\/strong>Tesla crash trial in California hinges on question of 'man vs machine'<\/a> [Reuters<\/em>] More on Autopilot:<\/strong> Survey: 42% of Tesla Autopilot Drivers Think Their Cars Can Drive Themselves<\/a><\/em><\/p> The post Manslaughter Case Has a Strange Twist: Tesla That Killed Couple Was on Autopilot<\/a> appeared first on Futurism<\/a>.<\/p> View post:<\/p> Manslaughter Case Has a Strange Twist: Tesla That Killed Couple Was on Autopilot<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A provocative manslaughter case is about to kick off in Los Angeles later this month, involving a fatal crash caused by a Tesla vehicle that had the company's controversial Autopilot feature turned on. It's the first case of its kind,\u00a0and one that could set a precedent for future crashes involving cars and driver-assistance software, Reuters reports Continue reading
<\/strong><\/p>