A fatal accident involving a Tesla vehicle is under investigation in Texas, in the United States. The driver, identified as Michael Butler, had Autopilot activated when the Model 3 car left a residential street in the city of Katy, went through the wall of a house and hit a 76-year-old woman who was inside the property. The episode took place on Friday night (19).
The victim, identified as Martha Avila, was in the front room of the home. She was rescued by helicopter, but did not survive.
According to information released by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the driver reported that he was using the Tesla automated driver assistance system at the time of the collision. The information cannot yet be confirmed by the authorities.
Butler was taken to the hospital. He showed no signs of intoxication and, according to local police, has been cooperating with the investigation. As of Saturday afternoon (20), no formal charges had been filed.
A video showing the Tesla Model 3 passing at high speed on the street where the accident occurred started circulating on social media:
Video of the Tesla crashing into a house in Texas has now been circulated.
It does not seem as if AP or FSD was enabled; it does not travel at those speeds. Tesla’s vehicle data logs will clear up the story in the coming days pic.twitter.com/uMEafrcFKh
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 21, 2026
Autopilot activated at the time of the collision?
Sergeant Alex Turman of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office revealed to the local broadcaster ABC13 Houston that investigators are still working to understand exactly what role the driver and Autopilot played in the accident.
Authorities emphasize that it is not yet clear what technology was in use.
That’s because Tesla offers different driver assistance systems, including Autopilot (an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS)) and separate software called Full Autonomous Driving (Supervised). Despite the names, both require the driver to remain alert to take control of the vehicle at any time.
Tesla Autopilot under investigation
The case comes at a time of increasing pressure on Tesla’s driving assistance systems, including Autopilot. In recent years, the company has faced investigations and lawsuits related to the operation of these technologies:
- In 2023, the automaker recalled more than two million vehicles after federal regulators concluded that the measures adopted to ensure drivers’ attention while using the system were insufficient;
- The action was the result of an investigation launched in 2021 by the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), following a series of accidents involving driver assistance features;
- More recently, NHTSA expanded an investigation involving about 2.9 million vehicles equipped with the company’s Full Autonomous Driving system. The agency evaluates reports of inappropriate software behavior, including disregarding traffic signs and driving in incorrect lanes.
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Tesla has also faced legal challenges related to the operation of these technologies. In 2024, the company reached a settlement in a lawsuit that blamed the driver assistance system for a fatal accident that occurred in California in 2018.
Source: www.olhardigital.com.br
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