A woman was killed in Katy, Texas, after a Tesla Model 3 veered off the road and hit a house while its driver-assistance system was reportedly active. The crash has renewed scrutiny of Tesla’s automation features and the limits of driver reliance on them.
According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Michael Butler was driving when the system was “engaged.” Police said the vehicle failed to stay in its lane, left the roadway, and struck the home at high speed. The victim, 76-year-old Martha Avila, was inside the house at the time of the collision.
Avila was taken to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead from her injuries. Investigators said the initial probe found no signs that Butler had used alcohol or drugs, and authorities said he cooperated with investigators.
The cause of the Tesla’s departure from the road remains unknown and the investigation is continuing. The case comes as Tesla remains under regulatory and legal scrutiny over its driver-assistance systems, including a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration probe opened last year into how the company reports such crashes. U.S. courts are also handling older cases tied to Autopilot use, and Tesla was recently ordered to pay $243 million in damages over a fatal 2019 crash linked to the system.