The family of Giovanni Mendoza, who tragically died in a crash while his Tesla was in “Autopilot” mode, is suing the electric carmaker and its CEO, Elon Musk, over misleading claims about the vehicle’s self-driving technology.
Mendoza, 31, purchased the Tesla Model S in 2021, under the impression that the car could drive itself based on public statements made by Musk and Tesla’s advertising, which the family argues misled consumers into believing the Autopilot feature was fully autonomous.
On February 18, 2023, Mendoza was driving with his brother Caleb in the passenger seat when the Tesla crashed into a fire truck parked across two lanes on a freeway, killing Giovanni and severely injuring Caleb. The lawsuit claims the Autopilot system failed to recognize the emergency vehicles, despite their flashing lights, and had serious design flaws.
The family’s lawyer, Brett Schreiber, argues that Tesla has been testing unready technology on public roads and that the company’s repeated software updates only cover up issues rather than solve them. Tesla, in turn, has responded by claiming the car’s design is reasonably safe and that the accident may have been due to Mendoza’s own negligence.
The complaint also highlights previous statements by Musk, such as his claim in 2014 that drivers would soon be able to travel without touching the controls, which the family asserts were false and contributed to their belief that the car could drive itself. Tesla’s Autopilot system has been involved in numerous crashes over the years, and the lawsuit accuses the company of concealing reports of malfunctions while continuing to market the technology as capable of fully autonomous driving.