A California judge has tentatively ordered Tesla CEO Elon Musk to be interviewed under oath regarding specific statements made about the capabilities of Tesla's Autopilot features. The lawsuit was filed by the family of Walter Huang, who tragically died in a car crash involving his Model X in 2018.
The ruling came after Tesla questioned the authenticity of Musk's remarks and opposed the request for him to testify. In court filings, the company argued that Elon Musk cannot recall details about these statements and further questioned their authenticity.
Walter Huang's family alleges that defects in his Model X and its Autopilot system contributed significantly to Huang's fatal accident on March 23, 2018. According to reports from investigators at both National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Mr. Huang had engaged with his vehicle’s Autosteer function before crashing into a highway barrier.
Tesla maintains that driver error is likely more responsible for this tragic outcome than any possible issues with their technology or vehicle design.
In an official statement, Mark Fong - an attorney representing Huang's family - said: "We believe it is important for Mr. Musk to answer questions about what he knew regarding autopilot limitations when he made certain public comments."
Elon Musk has previously touted the safety benefits of Tesla vehicles equipped with advanced driving assistance systems like Autopilot but acknowledged there are limits to its capability during various interviews over recent years.
However, legal representatives for both parties have not yet provided additional commentary on whether CEO Elon Musk will indeed testify as part of this ongoing litigation process which is expected culminate into trial starting July 31st later this year.
As investigations continue surrounding Teslas' involvement within incidents involving fatalities or serious injuries while using automated driving functions such as 'Autosteer,' many critics and public safety advocates are calling for increased scrutiny, regulation, and transparency from the electric vehicle manufacturer moving forward.