Automated driving technology promises safer roads, but the reality has proven far more dangerous. Driver-assist systems like Tesla’s Autopilot and similar technologies from other manufacturers have been linked to fatal crashes involving both vehicle occupants and innocent bystanders. When these systems fail or are marketed in ways that encourage overreliance, the consequences can be catastrophic.
Doyle APC is investigating serious injury and wrongful death cases involving automated driving systems. If you or a family member was harmed in a collision involving a vehicle operating on autopilot, self-driving mode, or similar driver-assist technology, we can evaluate your potential legal claims at no cost.
When Technology Fails
Automated driving systems use cameras, sensors, and software to control vehicle speed, maintain lane position, and respond to road conditions. These systems are marketed as advanced safety features, but they have significant limitations that manufacturers do not always adequately disclose.
Common failures that have caused serious crashes include systems that fail to detect stationary vehicles, emergency responders, or pedestrians in the roadway. Driver monitoring features may be inadequate to ensure the human operator remains attentive. Software may allow the system to engage on roads it was never designed for, creating dangerous conditions. Marketing and branding can create false impressions about system capabilities, encouraging drivers to trust automation more than safety permits.
Federal investigators have opened multiple probes into automated driving crashes, and courts are increasingly holding manufacturers accountable when design choices and marketing contribute to serious harm.
Landmark Verdicts Signal Accountability
In August 2025, a Miami federal jury found Tesla partially liable in a crash that killed a 22-year-old pedestrian and seriously injured her boyfriend. The jury awarded $329 million in damages after finding the company’s Autopilot system was defective. This marked the first third-party wrongful death verdict against Tesla over its automated driving technology.
The crash occurred when a Tesla operating on Autopilot ran a stop sign at over 60 miles per hour and struck the couple while they stood beside their parked vehicle. Plaintiffs argued that Tesla allowed its system to be used on roads it was not designed for, failed to adequately monitor driver attention, and overstated the system’s capabilities. The jury assigned 33 percent of fault to Tesla despite the driver admitting he was distracted.
Legal experts have called the verdict a turning point. As one professor noted, the jury found Tesla contributed to the crash even when the driver was acting imperfectly, which required finding a defect in the Autopilot software itself. Approximately a dozen additional active cases involve similar claims against Tesla over Autopilot or Full Self-Driving features.
Recently, a California administrative law judge ruled that Tesla engaged in deceptive marketing that gave customers a false impression of its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving capabilities.
Third-Party Victims
You do not need to own or operate an automated vehicle to have legal claims against the manufacturer. Pedestrians, passengers in other vehicles, cyclists, and bystanders who are injured or killed by vehicles operating on automated systems may pursue product liability claims directly against the automaker.
These third-party cases are particularly significant because the victims had no opportunity to read warnings, understand limitations, or make any choice about trusting the technology. A jury considering harm to innocent bystanders may view manufacturer responsibility differently than cases involving the driver who purchased and activated the system.
California Product Liability Law
California maintains strict liability standards for defective products. Manufacturers can be held responsible for injuries caused by design defects, manufacturing defects, or failure to warn, regardless of whether they acted negligently.
Product liability claims involving automated driving systems may proceed on multiple theories. Design defect claims argue the system was inherently dangerous due to choices made in engineering or software development. Failure to warn claims focus on inadequate disclosure of system limitations to drivers. Marketing and misrepresentation claims address statements that encouraged unsafe overreliance on automation.
California also allows punitive damages when a manufacturer’s conduct demonstrates conscious disregard for the safety of others. Evidence that a company knew of dangers and delayed implementing recommended safety measures can support substantial punitive awards.
Cases We Investigate
Doyle APC evaluates automated driving cases involving wrongful death of vehicle occupants, pedestrians, cyclists, or other road users. We also investigate serious injuries including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, severe burns, and permanent disability. Our focus includes crashes involving Tesla Autopilot or Full Self-Driving technology as well as driver-assist systems from other manufacturers.
We examine cases where evidence suggests the automated system failed to detect an obstacle, the system was engaged on inappropriate roads, driver monitoring was inadequate, or manufacturer statements created false impressions about safety and capability.
Evidence Preservation Is Critical
Automated vehicles generate extensive data about system status, driver inputs, and vehicle behavior before and during a crash. This evidence is essential to proving how the technology contributed to your injuries, but it can be overwritten or lost if not properly preserved.
If you are involved in a crash with an automated vehicle, taking immediate steps to protect your legal rights is important. Avoid any software updates to the vehicle and request that crash data be preserved. Document the scene with photographs and witness information, and consult an attorney before providing statements to the manufacturer or its representatives.
Free Case Evaluation
If a vehicle operating on Autopilot, Full Self-Driving, or similar automated technology injured you or killed a family member, you may have significant legal claims. Doyle APC brings over 28 years of experience holding major corporations accountable for dangerous products.
We handle these cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no legal fees unless we recover compensation for you. Important deadlines apply to injury claims in California, so prompt consultation protects your rights.
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