Elon Musk has vowed to challenge a U.S. court ruling that slammed Tesla with a $243 million fine over a deadly crash involving its Autopilot feature.

The tragic 2019 incident claimed the life of 22-year-old Naibel Benavides, who was stargazing in Key Largo, Florida, when she was struck by a Tesla Model S. Her boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, suffered serious injuries. The impact reportedly flung Benavides 75 feet, with her body later found in nearby bushes.

The Tesla was being driven by George McGee, who admitted to using his phone at the time. He had earlier reached a separate settlement with the victims’ families. However, a Florida jury held Tesla partly responsible, citing that its Autopilot system was active on a road it wasn't designed for—and yet the system failed to restrict its use.

Lawyer Brett Schreiber, representing the victims, accused Tesla of negligence, arguing the tech giant knowingly allowed its Autopilot to function in unsafe environments. He also pointed fingers at Musk’s public assurances that Autopilot was safer than human drivers.

Tesla, in response, dismissed the ruling as “wrong,” insisting the crash had nothing to do with Autopilot. The company claimed no vehicle, then or now, could have prevented the tragedy, and warned the verdict could hinder progress in autonomous driving.

The electric carmaker also denied claims it withheld video or data from the case, describing any oversight as accidental.

Meanwhile, legal experts say this could open a legal Pandora’s box. Miguel Custodio, a personal injury lawyer uninvolved in the case, said the ruling might embolden more victims to seek redress in court.

The judgment comes as Musk doubles down on plans for self-driving taxis and expanding Tesla’s autonomous tech—despite a history of controversies, including the 2023 recall of 2.3 million vehicles over Autopilot concerns.