Tesla autopilot recall threatens its defence in lawsuits over crashes

Half a dozen lawsuits headed to trial in the next year in Florida, California and Texas allege that Tesla allowed Autopilot to be used on roads for which it wasn’t designed and that the technology failed to send sufficient warnings when drivers became disengaged. — Reuters

Tesla Inc’s biggest vehicle recall ever threatens to hurt the company’s defence in several high-profile lawsuits it faces over crashes linked to Autopilot.

The automaker’s recall of two million cars comes after a top US auto-safety regulator found its driver-assistance program failed to ensure drivers stay attentive. Lawyers representing crash victims and family members who have sued Tesla, some over fatal accidents, say the determination bolsters their claims that the Autopilot system is defective and contributed to collisions.