Tesla Model S kills Florida Keys pedestrian
Occurred: April 2019
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A Tesla Model S blew through a three-way intersection, hit a Chevrolet Tahoe pick-up truck, causing it to spin, hit and kill a pedestrian. The woman, Naibel Benevides Leon, was thrown 70-80 feet into nearby woods whilst her companion was badly injured.
Police investigators said the Tesla's Autopilot driver-assist function appeared to be switched on, and that driver George McGee had dropped his phone, looked down, and ran a stop sign. In May 2021, Naibel Benevides' estate sued Tesla, accusing it of designing a 'defective and unsafe' car that failed to detect the Chevy Tahoe even though it was parked directly in front of the Tesla.
Operator: George McGee
Developer: Tesla
Country: USA
Sector: Automotive
Purpose: Automate steering, acceleration, braking
Technology: Driver assistance system
Issue: Accuracy/reliability; Safety
Transparency: Black box
Page info
Type: Incident
Published: March 2023