An Australian woman has been jailed for nine months after she falsely blamed her Tesla's autopilot for a pedestrian hit-and-run two years ago.
Sakshi Agrawal, 25, was behind the wheel of the car when she hit nurse Nicole Lagos in central Melbourne in 2022 and fled the scene.
Lagos survived but suffered permanent brain damage following the crash, which happened as she was boarding a tram in the suburb of Armadale, according to ABC Australia.
At the time, Agrawal told police Lagos had "jumped in front of the car".
For two years, she tried to get dangerous driving and failing-to-stop charges against her dropped - before pleading guilty last month.
At her sentencing this week at the County Court of Victoria, Judge Peter Rozen said he was satisfied Agrawal knew the risks of her actions.
"You made a conscious decision… to undertake a dangerous manoeuvre on the road," he said, as reported by the ABC.
Lagos' victim impact statement said she can no longer "fulfil her professional, social and romantic aspirations".
Crash investigators found Agrawal didn't slow down before striking Lagos, nor was her autopilot turned on at the time of impact.
After hitting Lagos, Agrawal fled at speeds of up to 80km/h, Victoria Police said. She then got in touch with her partner, went home, drank some water and got changed before going back to the crash scene two hours later.
"You did not stop to assist as required by law and common decency," Judge Rozen told Agriwal in court.
Her lawyer Nicholas Papas admitted Agrawal lied to police about using her Tesla's autopilot feature, the ABC reported.
"[She was] trying to explain the inexplicable and how she could do such a thing," he said.
In Victoria, drivers must remain behind trams when they slow down and cannot overtake them until the tram's doors are closed and the road is clear of pedestrians.
Judge Rozen said Agrawal showed genuine remorse and had "excellent" rehabilitation prospects.
"You have your entire adult life ahead of you."
