In 2018, a Tesla Model X being driven by an Apple engineer by the name of Walter Huang was involved in a collision along California's state route 101 in Mountain-View, California. The impact of the collision was enough to split the car in two and cause Huang to later die of blunt-force trauma injuries in hospital.

A NTSB investigation into the collision found that Autopilot Auto Steer and cruise control was activated at the time of the collision. It also concluded that the driver did not have his hands on the wheel at the time of the collision.

His family filed a civil case against Tesla and various California highway agencies. Due to start this week, Tesla settled the day before jury selection was due to begin, in a move that's unusual for it (usually, Tesla fights cases like this through the courts).

So what does this settlement mean? What's the implications for Tesla and Self-Driving? And what can we all learn moving forward? We have some thoughts...
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00:00 - Introduction
05:22 - Editorial process
07:22 - The incident - skip this section if you are concerned about hearing about the accident.
12:59 - The civil case against Tesla, Musk, and California's various agencies relating to the collision.
13:54 - The settlement isn't unusual
18:53 - Is Tesla admitting fault?
20:30 - Avoiding potential scruitiny
22:13 - Other companies are also under investigation and suffering issues
23:23 - A note on Tesla population vs other EV population
23:55 - Tesla's sales strategy is problematic
24:51 - Education needs to change
26:46 - Moving forward
30:12 - Thanks, and Goodbye

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Links:

NTSB report into the collision: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/P...
NTSB's Party Removal Letter to Tesla, Musk: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/D...

Legal statement from lawyers representing Huang family - https://www.minamitamaki.com/huang/
Legal complaint filed against Tesla, California agencies : https://app.box.com/s/t1sfpkuii5pkj7y...
Nikki's question in 2016 to Elon Musk regarding indemnity.
   • Tesla October 19th 2016 Autopilot 2.0...  
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Presenter, Script, Audio: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield.
Camera, Editor, Colorist: M. Horton
Art and Animation: Erin Carlie
Producer: Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield
© Transport Evolved LLC, 2024

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