Officials say Tesla driver using Autopilot crashes into home, killing woman
A woman was killed after a Tesla with Automated Driving Assist crashed into her home in Texas. The vehicle left the road and entered the property.The fatal accident occurred in Houston. Driver Michael Butler was traveling in a Tesla Model 3 when the vehicle left its lane, ran off the road, and struck a brick home.Butler was operating the vehicle with an “automated driving assistance system” at the time of the collision.“Butler’s Tesla drove through the brick residence, at a high rate of speed, striking Mr. Avila, who was inside the residence,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.76-year-old Martha Avila was inside the home when the car crashed into the front of the property. She was airlifted to hospital but later died from her injuries.
Butler was injured in the accident but showed no signs of poisoning and even cooperated with authorities. As of Saturday afternoon, no charges have been filed and the investigation remains ongoing.“We are still evaluating why that vehicle failed to control its speed immediately prior to this accident,” Sgt. Alex Turman, with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, told ABC13 Houston.Turman said the elderly Avila was standing in the front room of her home when the Tesla crashed into the building.
Doorbell camera footage showed the car driving down the property’s driveway before crashing into the house.The accident has once again drawn attention to Tesla’s Autopilot system. While they can assist with steering, braking and acceleration, Tesla’s manuals instruct drivers to stay attentive, keep their hands on the wheel and be ready to take control at any time.Tesla has faced scrutiny over the technology in recent years.
In 2023, the company recalled more than two million vehicles after US safety regulators said additional measures were needed to ensure drivers remained engaged while using the software.The recall followed a federal investigation that began in 2021 into a series of crashes involving Tesla’s driver assistance system, including several fatal crashes. In 2024, the company also settled a lawsuit linked to a 2018 California crash that blamed the software for the driver’s death.
