Tesla is set to return to the courtroom regarding a collision resulting in the death of Wei “Walter” Huang nearly six years ago. The trial, scheduled for the week of April 8th in California, will determine the liability of Tesla and its driver-assist software in the tragic incident, as reported by Reuters.

In March 2018, Huang lost his life when his Autopilot-enabled Model X collided with a safety barrier along US Highway 101 in Mountain View, California. Subsequent investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that both Autopilot functionality and distracted driving played roles in the accident, with phone records indicating Huang was engaged in a mobile game.

Nonetheless, Huang’s family initiated a wrongful death lawsuit against Tesla in 2019, asserting that the vehicle lacked necessary safety features at the time, notably automatic braking.

According to Reuters, Huang’s legal representatives questioned a Tesla witness about whether the company was aware that drivers might not pay attention to the road while using its driver-assistance system. The deposition referred to a 2016 email allegedly written by former Tesla president Jon McNeill to former Autopilot head Sterling Anderson, in which McNeill admitted, “I got so comfortable under Autopilot, that I ended up blowing by exits because I was immersed in emails or calls.”

Tesla has encountered legal challenges regarding its driver-assist features in the past, yet it has never been held liable. In the previous year, the company successfully defended against two lawsuits alleging Autopilot's involvement in separate accidents.

Recent months have seen heightened scrutiny of Tesla by federal regulators, with the Department of Justice expanding its criminal investigation into Autopilot features in October. Additionally, Tesla issued a recall for 2 million vehicles and implemented an update intended to discourage drivers from misusing Autopilot. However, experts have noted that these measures have largely proven ineffective.