--- title: "Tesla Sued by Family of Motorcyclist Mowed Down by Car on Autopilot" description: "The rider was killed in 2022 after a Tesla Model 3 on Autopilot mode rear ended the motorcycle, according to the lawsuit." date: "2024-08-03" modified: "2024-08-03" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/tesla-sued-motorcyclist-death-autopilot" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Tesla" tags: - "autopilot" - "self driving" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Tesla Sued by Family of Motorcyclist Mowed Down by Car on Autopilot ![The rider was killed in 2022 after a Tesla Model 3 on Autopilot mode rear ended the motorcycle, according to the lawsuit.]() *\Image: Joan Cros / NurPhoto via Getty / Futurism\* ## Tragedy on Tarmac In 2022, a motorcyclist in Utah was killed [in a crash]() with a Tesla Model 3 that was running Autopilot. Now the parents of the deceased have sued the automaker and the vehicle's driver, [*Reuters* reports](), marking [yet another legal case]() that's been mounted against Tesla and its self-driving software. The plaintiffs contend that Autopilot, which is a driver assistance system and is not fully autonomous — even if its name implies otherwise — as well as other Tesla safety features equipped on its cars are "defective and inadequate." ## Both to Blame The motorcyclist, 34-year-old Landon Embry, was killed after the Model 3 rear-ended his Harley Davidson at around 75 or 80 miles per hour, launching him off his bike, the lawsuit said. The crash took place around 1 am on an interstate road. Autopilot "should have identified the hazard posed by \[Embry's\] motorcycle in its presence," the complaint states, as quoted by *Reuters*. Embry's family also believe that the driver is at fault, claiming that they were "tired" and "not in a condition to drive as an ordinarily prudent driver." "A reasonably prudent driver, or adequate auto braking system, would have, and could have slowed or stopped without colliding with the motorcycle," the complaint added. ## Collision Course This isn't the only time that self-driving Teslas have been involved in deadly crashes with motorcycles. In April, a Seattle motorcyclist was killed by a Tesla Model S in a [similar rear-end collision](). Police [recently determined]() that the car was in Full Self-Driving mode at the time of the incident. More broadly, the automaker's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems have been linked to hundreds of crashes, and [at least 17 to 19 deaths](). Controversy over the [safety of the systems](), as well as over the [misleading nature of their branding]() that could imply the cars are fully autonomous, has made Tesla the subject of numerous probes by regulators. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration has consistently investigated Autopilot and FSD crashes, including [collisions with emergency vehicles](). There's also an [ongoing probe by the Department of Justice](), which will determine if Tesla committed securities and wire fraud by lying about the driving systems' capabilities. Where the blame falls in scenarios involving autonomous driving software remains a legally gray area. We can only hope that the family can find some justice. **More on Tesla:** *[Tesla Buyers Having More Regrets After Actually Using Their Cars, Research Finds]()* ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()