Payam Javan: Tesla has reached a confidential settlement in a lawsuit over the death of a 15-year-old boy in a 2019 California crash involving a Model 3 operating on Autopilot, according to a court order filed Tuesday. The fatal incident occurred in Alameda County when the Model 3 rear-ended the vehicle carrying the teenager, causing it to overturn and hit a barrier. The settlement, whose terms remain undisclosed, prompted the court to cancel a trial that was scheduled to begin in about a month.

The deal comes just weeks after a Florida jury ordered Tesla to pay $243 million in damages over another fatal 2019 crash involving a Model S with Autopilot engaged. Tesla, which rejected a $60 million pre-trial settlement offer in that case, has since hired a new team of high-profile lawyers and is pushing for the verdict to be overturned or for a new trial to be granted. The company has faced mounting legal scrutiny over its driver-assistance technology, which has been linked to multiple accidents and lawsuits.

While Tesla has resolved several cases related to Autopilot, more legal challenges loom. Another lawsuit over a separate fatal 2019 crash is set to go to trial on October 20 in Los Angeles County. Tesla has not commented publicly on the latest California settlement, which underscores the growing legal and financial risks surrounding its autonomous driving features.