Key facts
- The NTSB confirmed the driver of a Tesla Model 3 manually overrode the vehicle's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system by fully depressing the accelerator.
- The vehicle was traveling over 70 mph in a 30 mph zone when it crashed into a home in Katy, Texas.
- The crash resulted in the death of 76-year-old resident Martha Avila.
- The driver, Michael Butler, 44, has been charged with manslaughter.
- The victim's family has filed a lawsuit against Butler and Tesla for negligence.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has confirmed that the driver of a Tesla Model 3 involved in a fatal June crash in Katy, Texas, manually overrode the vehicle's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system by fully depressing the accelerator pedal. Data recovered from the vehicle indicates it was traveling at over 70 miles per hour in a 30 mph zone when it collided with a house, resulting in the death of 76-year-old resident Martha Avila.
The victim's family has filed a lawsuit against the alleged driver, 44-year-old Michael Butler, and Tesla, citing negligence. Butler also faces manslaughter charges.
The NTSB's preliminary findings align with Tesla's initial account, which was shared by Ashok Elluswamy, vice president of AI software at Tesla, on X, stating the driver manually overrode the system. The NTSB has investigated numerous Tesla crashes where driver assistance systems were in use, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also investigating this crash. Tesla has stated that its Autopilot and FSD technologies require fully attentive drivers and do not make vehicles autonomous.