Tesla Settles 2019 Model 3Autopilot Crash Lawsuit Days Before Separate Trial Begins In Miami

The case involved the death of Jeremy Banner, whose Model 3 crashed into a tractor-trailer while Autopilot was active.

Tesla has settled a lawsuit over the death of Jeremy Banner, who was killed in 2019 when his Model 3, with Autopilot turned on, drove into a tractor-trailer crossing the road. 

The settlement, kept confidential, was filed in court on July 7, days before the company was due to face trial in another deadly crash case in Miami.

Banner’s case was one of the first to challenge the safety of Tesla’s Autopilot system. 

Federal investigators blamed the crash on driver inattention and criticized Tesla’s failure to ensure the driver stayed engaged. 

The system issued no visual or audible warnings before impact, Bloomberg reported, citing a National Transportation Safety Board report.

Banner’s attorney, Trey Lytal, also withheld details but said such lawsuits have played a role in holding Tesla accountable. “There’s no question that the justice system, and especially jury trials, holds Tesla accountable for its actions,” he said.

The settlement comes as Tesla faces a separate 2019 crash trial in Miami involving a Model S that veered off a Florida road and killed a pedestrian. 

Plaintiffs in that case argue Autopilot failed to respond despite visible road signs and stop lines. 

A former NHTSA adviser testified this week that Tesla downplayed Autopilot’s limitations and skipped standard safety features used by other automakers. 

Tesla claims the driver was at fault for overriding the system by pressing the accelerator. 

The Miami trial is expected to run about three weeks.

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for Tesla was ‘bearish’ amid ‘low’ message volume.

Tesla’s stock has declined 15.8% so far in 2025.

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