Tesla crash lawsuit: Elon Musk to seek help from Apple - all you need to know

In a bid to bolster its defense in a contentious legal battle concerning the safety of its Autopilot system, Tesla has turned to Apple for support. The lawsuit originated from a tragic crash involving a Tesla Model X in 2018, which sparked a legal dispute regarding the circumstances surrounding the accident.

The fatal incident occurred when the vehicle, operating in Autopilot mode, collided with a safety barrier on US Highway 101 in Mountain View, California, resulting in the death of Wei "Walter" Huang, a former Apple engineer. Subsequently, Huang's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Tesla, alleging that the Autopilot technology was defective and played a role in the crash.

In response, Tesla has countered these claims by asserting that Huang was distracted by his iPhone while driving, particularly by engaging in a game at the time of the collision. However, data extracted from Huang's phone by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) did not definitively establish whether he was actively using his cellphone during the tragic event.

Tesla is now seeking to reinforce its argument by engaging Apple, Huang's previous employer, for assistance. The electric car manufacturer aims to leverage Apple's data analysis to demonstrate that Huang was indeed using his iPhone during the fatal crash.

Court documents reveal that Tesla has secured a sworn statement from James Harding, an Apple engineering manager, who conducted an analysis of telemetry data from Huang's phone. Harding's investigation indicated potential user interaction during the incident, such as screen touches or button presses.

However, tensions have arisen between Tesla and Apple regarding the sharing of sensitive information. While Tesla desires increased cooperation from Apple, the tech giant has declined to disclose any data, citing concerns about the potential leakage of confidential material.