Tesla's Autopilot System In Trouble? Is A Court Date On The Cards?

American electric carmaker Tesla may need to get its battery of high-profile lawyers on alert, as the company that insured a Tesla Model S which crashed while in autopilot mode, has asked to inspect the crashed vehicle.

The driver of the vehicle in question, Mark Molthan from Texas, has admitted to Automotive News in a telephone interview, that he wasn't paying attention to the road when the crash occurred on August 7.

Molthan was driving his Model S on Highway 175 in rural Kaufman, Texas when it failed to negotiate a curve on the road and hit a cable guardrail multiple times.

While Molthan, who also owns a Model X, does not plan to sue Tesla. However, Cozen O'Connor, the law firm that represents Molthan's insurer, has stated that it has sent Tesla a notice letter requesting a joint inspection of the vehicle, which has been deemed a total loss by the insurer.

If the insurer does sue, it will the first case related to the Autopilot system (a system the American carmaker claims is only an assist feature for drivers) and could lead to a barrage of similar lawsuits against Tesla.

Meanwhile, Tesla is investigating Molthan's crash .