Tesla Autopilot Manslaughter Trial to Start

As the Rabbi Lawyer, it’s my job to stay up-to-date on legal issues affecting Los Angeles and Southern California drivers.

To that end, next week prosecutors will begin their manslaughter case against Kevin Riad. It is a case being closely watched because never before has a California driver been charged with such a crime while using Tesla’s autopilot feature.

Here are the facts. Kevin Riad was driving on the 91 freeway in Gardena in 2019. His Tesla’s autopilot was engaged. ATesla engineer testified in a prior hearing that Riad’s car was traveling 74 miles per hour when it slammed into a Honda Civic being driven by Gilberto Lopez. Lopez and his passenger were killed.

Riad was charged with manslaughter. His defense is that he relied on Tesla’s autopilot, and the autopilot is what failed, causing the collision that killed Lopez and his passenger. Tesla claims to have made clear to drivers that autopilot is not a fully “self-driving” system, and drivers must still pay attention and be prepared to take over in the event of changed road conditions. That didn’t happen here.

The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating Tesla and it’s claims related to autopilot. We will monitor this upcoming manslaughter trial, the first-of-its-kind in California. It’s also worth noting that Riad is facing civil wrongful death lawsuits in Los Angeles Superior Court.

As a devoted Tesla driver, I appreciate the technological advances the auto maker has innovated. But I recognize that sometimes, systems fail. When they do, negligent conduct must be held accountable.

If you were injured in a Los Angeles Tesla crash caused by an inattentive—or dare I say—intoxicated driver, reach out to my office. I’ll see what I can do to help you, and I’m ready to assist, 24/6.