This is not the first time we have seen an autonomous or semi-autonomous car involved in accidents involving motorcyclists. In fact, unfortunately, there have been cases where the motorcyclist has died, and that is exactly what happened after the accident involving Landon Embrys in 2022.
Landon was riding his Harley-Davidson when he was hit by a Tesla Model 3 that was using autopilot, the American company’s most advanced assistance system. As a result of the impact, Embrys died instantly at the age of 34.
At the time of impact, the Tesla 3 was traveling between 75 and 80 miles per hour, or between 120 and 128 kilometers per hour, and the driver did absolutely nothing to take control.
With all this information, the family has filed a lawsuit against Tesla, since at that time it is claimed that the driver was “tired” and “not fit to drive as a normally prudent driver”.
Although the driver is ultimately responsible, the family accuses Tesla of failures in its system
However, the underlying issue is complex, as the family is relying on Tesla’s admission that its systems have detected errors and have not worked as expected.
However, it should not be overlooked that Tesla offers its “autopilot” systems as a driving aid, but it is not an autonomous vehicle in any case. The car receives images from its camera systems to discover everything that is happening in its surroundings and makes decisions. But the reality is that the one who still has to be in front of the car and pay attention is the driver, hence the legal problems.
However, Embrys’ family is seeking justice, arguing that the automatic braking system did not work properly and that if it had, the impact would have been minor and perhaps had other consequences, or would not have occurred at all.
In any case, it will be the courts of Salt Lake City (Utah) that will decide how this matter is settled. There are precedents for similar situations, although always from the point of view of American justice.
