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Tesla Driver Using Autopilot Crashes Into Home in Texas and Kills a Woman, Officials Say
The New York Times • • business
Key Points:
- A Tesla Model 3 operating in automated driver-assistance mode crashed into a house in Katy, Texas, killing a woman inside, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
- The driver, Michael Butler, lost control, left the roadway, and struck the residence at high speed; the victim, Martha Avila, was airlifted to a hospital where she later died.
- Investigators found no signs of intoxication in Butler, who cooperated with the ongoing investigation, but the cause of the vehicle’s failure to control speed remains under review.
- Tesla’s autopilot system, designed to assist drivers but requiring active supervision, has faced scrutiny and recalls, including a 2023 recall of over two million vehicles due to safety concerns.
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been investigating Tesla’s driver-assistance technology since 2021 following multiple crashes involving the system, some of which were fatal.
