Tesla driver whose car slammed into Texas home overrode driver assistance mode, NTSB says

Key Points:

• The NTSB concluded that the Tesla Model 3 driver, Michael Butler, manually overrode the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system by pressing the accelerator to 100%, causing the vehicle to crash into a Texas home at over 70 mph and kill 76-year-old Martha Avila.
• The crash occurred on a residential street with a 30 mph speed limit under clear and dry conditions, and Butler has been charged with manslaughter; however, investigators have not yet assigned blame to the vehicle itself.
• Experts caution that the NTSB investigation must consider possible mechanical, electronic, or software malfunctions that could have caused unintended acceleration, as the 100% accelerator reading may not solely indicate driver input.
• Tesla’s leadership defended the system shortly after the crash, emphasizing driver override, while critics and researchers stress that the term "Full Self-Driving" may mislead users about the technology’s actual capabilities and the need for driver attention.
• The crash remains under investigation by the NTSB and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with calls for greater transparency from Tesla regarding data and system failures to fully understand the incident’s causes.