Tesla is going to court next week over the role its Autopilot system played in a fatal crash in 2018 and the carmaker is reportedly seeking Apple‘s help. According to Bloomberg, Tesla is seeking technical support from Apple in the high-profile trial concerning the safety of its Autopilot system. The lawsuit stems from a fatal 2018 crash involving a Tesla Model X driven by Walter Huang, an Apple engineer.Tesla alleges that Huang was playing a video game on his phone at the time of the accident. However, Huang’s family disputes this claim, arguing that the presence of the game on his phone doesn’t definitively prove he was using it.
The central dispute surrounds whether Tesla can call an Apple engineer, James Harding, as a witness. Harding reportedly analyzed Huang’s phone data and suggests “possible user interaction” with the phone. Huang’s family argues Tesla withheld this information and is attempting to pressure Apple to reveal confidential details.
This case follows two prior California victories for Tesla in similar lawsuits involving Autopilot. However, the company did recall 2 million vehicles in late 2023 due to concerns about the system’s ability to monitor driver attentiveness. NTSB investigators attributed the crash to limitations in Autopilot and Huang’s potential phone use, while also criticizing California’s Department of Transportation for failing to repair a damaged highway barrier.
