NTSB Confirms Texas Tesla Had 100% Floored Accelerator Pedal During Fatal Crash

Key Points:

• A Tesla vehicle in full self-driving mode (FSD) crashed into a Katy, Texas home last month, killing a 76-year-old woman; the driver has been charged with manslaughter, and both Tesla and the driver face a lawsuit from the victim’s family.
• Tesla’s head of AI stated the driver manually overrode FSD by fully pressing the accelerator in a residential area, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed the car was traveling over 70 mph with the accelerator at 100% before the crash.
• Despite Tesla and CEO Elon Musk emphasizing that FSD drives slowly in neighborhoods and disputing claims that FSD was solely responsible, the vehicle remained in FSD mode while the driver applied full acceleration, raising philosophical questions about FSD’s role in such incidents.
• Court documents reveal the driver claimed to have passed out while the car was in FSD on the highway and that no medical conditions or substances were involved; additionally, the driver had searched online for complaints about FSD’s lack of aggressiveness in city driving prior to the crash.
• The incident highlights concerns about the safety and responsibility of FSD technology, with more information expected to emerge as the lawsuit against Tesla and the driver proceeds.