A family is blaming Elon Musk after their son died in a Tesla crash while the car was operating in ‘autopilot’ mode.
A tragic accident involving a Tesla vehicle has led to a family’s grief and anger towards the company and its CEO, Elon Musk.
The incident occurred on February 18, 2023, when 31-year-old Genesis Giovanni Mendoza Martinez lost his life while using the Tesla’s ‘autopilot’ feature.
His family has filed a lawsuit, holding Musk accountable for what they describe as the dangers of self-driving technology.
A 31-year-old man died in a Tesla car accident
Genesis was driving his Tesla in ‘autopilot’ mode when the vehicle crashed into a firetruck at high speed.
Reports indicate that the car had been operating on autopilot for approximately 12 minutes prior to the collision, averaging speeds of 71 mph.
Unfortunately, the impact resulted in Mendoza’s death and left several firefighters with minor injuries.
Family accuses Elon Musk of causing son’s death in Tesla car crash over ‘autopilot’ mode
Mendoza’s parents, Eduardo and Maria, along with his brother Caleb, who was also injured in the crash, have blamed Musk and Tesla for the incident.
They argue that the autopilot feature is ‘ill-equipped’ and poses serious risks to drivers and others on the road.
The family believes that their son was misled by Tesla’s marketing, which promoted the self-driving capabilities as safe and reliable.
The lawsuit claims that the technology was not ready for widespread use and that Mendoza’s death could have been prevented.
The family’s attorney, Brett Schreiber, said Tesla is using public roads to test its autonomous driving technology, risking public safety.
“This is yet another example of Tesla using our public roadways to perform research and development of its autonomous driving technology.
“What’s worse is that Tesla knows that many of its earlier model vehicles continue to drive our roadways today with this same defect putting first responders and the public at risk.”
Elon Musk’s Tesla company responded to the accident
In response to the lawsuit, Tesla has defended its autopilot feature.
The company argues that its cars are designed to be safe according to state laws and regulations.
They also suggest that the accident may have been partly caused by Mendoza’s own actions.
Tesla claims that no additional warnings could have prevented the crash or the injuries that occurred.
“No additional warnings would have, or could have prevented the alleged incident, the injuries, losses, and damages alleged,” the company stated.
Despite Tesla’s assurances, the controversy surrounding its autopilot technology has drawn significant criticism.
The U.S. government, particularly Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, has voiced concerns about the safety of self-driving features.
The administration is closely monitoring how these technologies are implemented on public roads.
The Mendoza case is not an isolated incident.
Between 2015 and 2022, Tesla reported over 1,000 crashes involving vehicles using the autopilot feature.
Customers have also filed more than 1,500 complaints regarding sudden and unintentional braking while driving with autopilot engaged.
These figures raise serious questions about the reliability of the technology.
The loss of Genesis has left a profound impact on his family.
They describe him as a loving son and brother who was excited about the potential of his Tesla.
The family believes Musk’s marketing convinced their son that autopilot was as safe as a human driver.
This belief ultimately led to a tragic outcome.