Tesla announced on August 15 that they have reached an amicable settlement agreement with Apple engineer Walter Huang's family over his death on March 2018 while recent court proceedings continue to play out regarding their Autopilot driver-assistance system. The settlement will end any legal challenges from either side regarding Autopilot driver assistance system.
Settlement Agreement and Procedure
NTSB's investigation of this accident identified Autopilot functionality and driver distraction as contributing factors, but details regarding any settlement have yet to be made public; an agreement awaits court approval with an April 11th hearing date set as per agreement terms; California Department of Transportation can raise objections at this stage if desired.
Legal Maneuvers And Tech Company Involvement
Tesla had originally attempted to subpoena Apple to establish whether Huang had been engaged in mobile gaming at the time of her crash - an action they believed may suggest negligence by Tesla itself. Although authorities found an open game app on Huang's phone during that incident period, their active usage couldn't be confirmed at that time by authorities; contrary to Tesla's efforts of implicating Apple via their subpoena efforts. Apple declined.
Conclusion And Unresolved Issues
This settlement marks a successful conclusion to an extensive legal battle concerning Autopilot technology; yet many questions still exist over driver attentiveness and Autopilot responsibilities during tragic incidents.
