Tesla Hit With $243M Verdict After Hacker Recovers Crash Data - 1

Image by David von Diemar, from Unsplash

Tesla Hit With $243M Verdict After Hacker Recovers Crash Data

  • Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

A Miami jury established a historic record by awarding Tesla $243 million in damages, after a hacker discovered crucial crash data that Tesla had denied existed.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • A hacker retrieved deleted crash data from the Tesla Autopilot unit.
  • Data revealed Tesla detected victims before impact but failed to prevent crash.
  • Jury found Tesla 33% liable, despite driver distraction defense.

The incident, detailed in a report by The Washington Post , occurred when a Tesla driving on Autopilot mode hit 22-year-old Naibel Benavides Leon and her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo.

The crash, which happened in Key Largo, Florida, in 2019, resulted in the death of Ms. Leon and severe injuries to Angulo. The driver, George McGee, admitted he was distracted when the crash happened, as noted by The Post.

For years, Tesla insisted it could not locate data that showed what the car detected before the collision. But a hacker known online as @greentheonly, working from a Starbucks in Miami, retrieved the information from the vehicle’s control unit. “For any reasonable person, it was obvious the data was there,” the hacker said to The Post.

The Tesla system captured a collision snapshot that showed the vehicle had detected the couple before the accident occurred. The plaintiffs used this evidence to prove Autopilot system defects, and accused Tesla of giving misleading information to investigators.

Tesla lawyer Joel Smith admitted the company was “clumsy’’ but denied any wrongdoing through his statement: “We didn’t think we had it, and we found out we did. And, thankfully, we did because this is an amazingly helpful piece of information,” as reported by The Post.

The jury established Tesla as 33% responsible for the accident, which proved detrimental to the company that often argues drivers are responsible when using Autopilot. The Post reports that Tesla declared the court decision to be incorrect, and announced it would file an appeal, calling the data dispute an “irrelevant issue.”

A shareholder lawsuit in Texas now claims Tesla made false statements about its self-driving technology to investors, as multiple crash-related lawsuits continue their progression across the United States.

For the victims’ families, however, the case brings little comfort. “We have this relief that the world knows, but it doesn’t change anything for us,” said Neima Benavides, the victim’s sister, as reported by The Post.

Study Reveals AI Adoption Linked To 13% Decline In Entry-Level Jobs - 2

Photo by Israel Andrade on Unsplash

Study Reveals AI Adoption Linked To 13% Decline In Entry-Level Jobs

  • Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
  • Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

Three Stanford University researchers published a study on Tuesday revealing that generative AI adoption is linked to a 13% decline in entry level jobs. The study presents evidence of how the technology is impacting young workers in the United States.

In a rush? Here are the quick facts:

  • A study reveals AI adoption is linked to a 13% decline in entry level jobs.
  • Since 2022, job positions for workers between 22 to 25 years old have declined.
  • Researchers explain that not all AI uses affect equally, AI automation substitutes workers but AI augmentation increases demand.

According to the study , early-career workers aged 22 to 25 have seen fewer job opportunities in areas where AI can automate tasks. The researchers noted that certain occupations such as customer service representatives and software developers have been significantly affected. In contrast, the demand for experienced workers in the same field remains the same or shows signs of growth.

“Overall employment continues to grow robustly, but employment growth for young workers in particular has been stagnant since late 2022,” states the document.

The researchers analyzed the job market and provided several explanations for why and how entry-level jobs are being impacted by AI. They noted a distinction between jobs where AI can automate tasks and replace workers versus jobs where AI can augment productivity and complement existing tasks.

“Not all uses of AI are associated with declines in employment,” states the document. “While we find employment declines for young workers in occupations where AI primarily automates work, we find employment growth in occupations in which AI use is most augmentative.”

The team also used queries in AI models such as Claude to evaluate the specific tasks and requirements of different jobs, analyzing how those tasks might be automated or enhanced by AI.

The study highlights that while multiple factors can influence job market trends—including the COVID-19 pandemic—the impact of AI has been noticeable since 2022.

According to CNBC , the study hasn’t been peer-reviewed yet but provides compelling evidence of AI’s current impact on the job market.

Other recent research has also examined AI’s effect on employment. A few days ago, a study revealed that 10,000 jobs were lost in July in the U.S. due to the adoption of advanced technology, the highest number since 2020. A United Nations report shared in April states that 40% of the jobs across the world will be affected by generative AI .