A Florida jury has found Tesla partially responsible for a 2019 fatal crash involving Autopilot. The company must pay approximately $242.5 million in damages, including punitive fines.

The crash occurred when neither the driver nor Autopilot braked, resulting in the death of a 20-year-old pedestrian. The jury assigned two-thirds of the blame to the driver and one-third to Tesla.

Tesla plans to appeal the verdict, arguing that it will hinder automotive safety advancements. The company claims the driver was responsible and that no car in 2019 could have prevented the crash.

The case highlights concerns about overconfidence in driver assistance systems like Autopilot, a problem previously acknowledged by Elon Musk and investigated by the NTSB.

A Florida jury found Tesla partially responsible for a 2019 fatal crash involving Autopilot, awarding $329 million in damages. The crash, which killed Naibel Benavides Leon and injured Dillon Angulo, was attributed to both the driver's negligence (two-thirds) and Tesla's Autopilot system (one-third).

The plaintiffs' attorney argued Tesla designed Autopilot for controlled highways but didn't restrict its use elsewhere, with Elon Musk promoting its capabilities beyond its limits. Tesla plans to appeal, citing errors in law and claiming no car in 2019 could have prevented the crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) previously criticized Tesla for ignoring safety recommendations after a 2018 fatal crash where a driver using Autopilot was playing a mobile game. Musk acknowledged in 2018 that driver complacency with Autopilot was a problem.

The trial coincides with Tesla's rollout of its Robotaxi network in Austin, Texas, utilizing an enhanced version of its Full Self-Driving system.

Lovense, a manufacturer of internet-connected sex toys, has confirmed the resolution of security vulnerabilities that exposed users' email addresses and allowed account takeovers.

CEO Dan Liu mentioned the company is considering legal action in response to reports about the bug.

A security researcher disclosed the bugs, reporting them earlier in the year after Lovense's delayed response.

Lovense claims that there is no evidence suggesting user data was compromised, despite reports indicating otherwise.

The company did not respond to requests for clarification on how it determined the lack of compromise.

TikTok has launched 'TikTok Pro' in Germany, Portugal, and Spain, featuring the 'Sunshine Programme.'

Users earn 'virtual sunshine' by engaging with charity content and inviting new users, which TikTok then converts into donations to charitable organizations.

'TikTok Pro' offers the same content as the standard app but excludes live streams, shopping features, and ads, focusing on charitable support.

A joint U.S.-European operation led by German prosecutors has seized the infrastructure of the BlackSuit ransomware gang. The operation, conducted on July 24, involved seizing the gang's servers and systems, securing considerable amounts of data to identify those responsible. The servers were switched off, effectively halting the ransomware malware. BlackSuit had targeted 184 victims worldwide, including several in Germany. The gang's leak site on the dark web is now displaying a seizure notice. The operation included help from ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations unit and Europol. BlackSuit has targeted U.S. cities and organizations in various industries. In 2024, CISA warned that the gang was rebranding from Royal to BlackSuit.

Pearl Edison, a Detroit-based startup, is collaborating with utilities to streamline and reduce the cost of home energy retrofit projects like installing solar panels and heat pumps. They have raised $3.3 million in seed funding from New System Ventures and Commonweal Ventures.

The company partners with utilities to identify potential customers for energy upgrades and creates a white-labeled website to facilitate sign-ups. Pearl Edison uses data to generate guaranteed price quotes and sends workers to verify plans before finalizing the design.

By working directly with utilities, Pearl Edison aims to reduce customer acquisition costs and offer homeowners savings on energy efficiency upgrades. They currently have programs with DT Energy in Michigan, Duquesne Light in Pittsburgh, and the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and plan to add more utility partners this year.

A recent report by All Raise indicates significant progress for women in venture capital. Women now hold 18.6% of top roles at leading VC firms, doubling the percentage since 2018.

The report highlights that many women received promotions last year, and investors are actively seeking to back underrepresented founders (75% of investors).

While few women lead mega-funds ($3 billion or more), there's a rise in women-led solo ventures. Over 100 women-led funds launched in the past decade, with nearly 180 firms raising $5.3 billion in 2023.