Landmark trial involving Tesla autopilot weighs if ‘man or machine’ at fault

In an upcoming trial about self-driving vehicles and manslaughter, public perceptions of Tesla could shift. Photograph: Chen Lin/Reuters

Tesla will play a major role in a manslaughter trial this week over a fatal crash caused by a vehicle operating on autopilot, in what could be a defining case for the self-driving car industry.

At the trial’s heart is the question of who is legally responsible for a vehicle that can drive – or partially drive – itself.