Tesla to Settle Lawsuit Regarding Deadly Autopilot Crash

Tesla has reached a settlement in the lawsuit concerning a fatal 2018 crash involving an Apple engineer named Walter Huang.

The case, filed by Mr. Huang's family, was set to commence in the California Superior Court. Had the trial proceeded, it would have drawn greater attention to Tesla's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving capabilities.

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed and reports have said the deal still needs to be approved by a judge. 

Prior to reaching a settlement, Tesla contended that Mr. Huang had misused the system by engaging in a video game moments before the accident. 

Tesla has previously prevailed in California trials by asserting that drivers failed to adhere to its instructions to remain attentive while utilizing the system. 

The electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer is confronting a succession of lawsuits stemming from crashes purportedly linked to the use of its driver-assistant technology.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has also been investigating some accidents involving Autopilot.

For many years, Tesla has promised to produce an autonomous car but has yet to launch one.

Elon Musk announced that the company intends to reveal a self-driving robotaxi in August. The resolution with Mr. Huang's family arrives amidst Tesla's struggle with declining sales.

During the first quarter of this year, deliveries experienced a significant decline due to challenges including a fire at its European factory, disruptions in global shipping, and heightened competition. 

To address increased competition, particularly from rivals like BYD, Tesla has repeatedly reduced prices, but demand has declined in crucial markets such as China. Since the beginning of this year, Tesla's shares have decreased by nearly one-third in value.

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