Florida man sues Tesla over autopilot feature, crash

ORLANDO, Fla. – A Tesla spokeswoman says there’s no reason to believe an autopilot feature in a Model S vehicle malfunctioned, despite a Florida driver’s claims in a lawsuit.

Tesla’s Keely Sulprizio says drivers should always maintain control of the vehicle when using the autopilot function.

Shawn Hudson filed the negligence lawsuit in state court in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday, claiming Tesla made false statements about the autopilot safety on his vehicle. He says his Model S failed to detect a stalled car on a highway, leading to a collision that left him with permanent injuries.

It’s the second such lawsuit in as many months. A Utah driver filed a similar complaint last month.

Hudson’s attorney says there’s a disconnect between that official company policy and what salespeople tell customers in showrooms.

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This story corrects spelling of spokeswoman’s name to Keely Sulprizio.