--- title: "Tesla Lost $243M Autopilot Verdict After Rejecting $60M Settlement: TDS" date: "2025-08-26" modified: "2025-08-26" authors: - name: "Joel Feder" job_title: "Director of Content and Product" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/joel-feder" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/tesla-lost-243m-autopilot-verdict-after-rejecting-60m-settlement-tds" categories: - "News" - "The Downshift" --- # Tesla Lost $243M Autopilot Verdict After Rejecting $60M Settlement: TDS ![Tesla Autopilot]() *\The Drive\* Good morning and welcome to *The Downshift*, or TDS for short. Tight, Light, and right, TDS gathers all the automotive news simmering around the world and puts it in one place. Each story is summarized in a single sentence with a link for those looking to go deeper. The first cup of coffee is gone, so let's get into it. ๐Ÿš˜ What Iโ€™m driving: Today's day two with the 2025 Ford Mustang GTD, and still am not allowed (yet) to provide driving impressions. ๐Ÿ’ฐ As part of a request for legal fees from Tesla after a jury awarded a $243 million verdict in the 2019 fatal crash of an Autopilot-equipped Model S, [the plaintiffs disclosed]() the automaker rejected a $60 million settlement. ๐Ÿš™ The [Audi Q3 Sportback debuted]() as a less practical and sportier-looking sibling to the regular Q3, with mainly a change to the roofline. ๐Ÿ’พ The boss of Hyundai's luxury division, Genesis, said its GV60 Magma will stand out from and rival BMW M and Mercedes-Benz AMG [with software, not just hardware](). ๐Ÿง‘โ€โš–๏ธ California's New Car Dealers Association [sued American Honda and Sony Mobility]() for trying to sell its Afeela electric car directly to consumers and bypassing Honda and Acura dealerships. ๐Ÿ’ถ The Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.3-1.6 owned by Formula 1 legend Aryton Senna is [headed to auction]() in November via RM Sotheby's with an estimated value of โ‚ฌ255,000 to โ‚ฌ290,000 ($296,346 to $337,021 at today's exchange rate). *Have feedback on the formatting of TDS? Send us a note: tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Overseeing what you see, read, touch, hear, and interact with from the vast lakes of Minnesota, Joel Feder shapes how The Drive looks and operates as the head of content and product initiatives. On a daily basis, Joel leads the newsroom and editorial staff playing point on both short-term coverage and long-term strategic plans. His mission is to help ensure The Drive shapes the future of automotive media by helping the team execute original reporting, breaking news, and exclusive opportunities. Regarded as an industry insider and recognized by colleagues, fellow journalists, and manufacturers as a point-person and leader in the industry, Joel owns and runs the largest automotive professionals group on Facebook in an effort to serve and help others. Joel serves as a juror for the World Car Awards. In addition, he is the board chair and chair of the governance and nominating committee for Move Forward MN, a local non-profit that helps at-risk youth with barrier-free mental health and housing services. While youโ€™re reading this heโ€™s either on his computer or iPhone chasing the latest news or drafting a story. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]() [Bluesky]() [Email]()