-0.91% A federal judge in Miami has denied Tesla's request to overturn a $243m jury verdict in a case stemming from a fatal 2019 crash in Florida. The ruling upholds the automaker's partial liability in the accident involving the Enhanced Autopilot system. The crash, in Key Largo, killed 22-year-old Naibel Benavides and severely injured Dillon Angulo. The driver, George McGee, was using Enhanced Autopilot and said he looked away to retrieve his phone, believing the vehicle would brake automatically. The Tesla Model S, however, went through an intersection at over 60mph, striking a parked vehicle and its owners. Judge Beth Bloom said the evidence presented at trial fully supported the verdict and that no new element warranted ordering a new trial. Tesla had sought to cut compensatory damages from $129m to a maximum of $69m, which would have reduced the amount to be paid to $23m, and to cap punitive damages under Florida law. The automaker's lawyers did not comment on the decision. The setback comes as Tesla tries to close the gap in robotaxis against Waymo and Baidu, with Elon Musk saying he is aiming for an "expanded" network of autonomous vehicles in the US by the end of 2026. © MarketScreener.com - 2026