KATY, Texas (TNND) — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into a crash involving a Tesla Model 3 that struck a home, resulting in the death of a 76-year-old woman.
According to Harris County authorities, the driver reported that the vehicle was operating with Tesla's driver-assistance technology at the time of the incident. Witnesses stated the driver exhibited no signs of impairment and is cooperating with the investigation. The victim has been identified as Martha Avila.
Tesla executives have contested assertions linking the automated driving system to the crash. Tesla CEO Elon Musk commented on social media, stating the incident was perplexing due to the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system's cautious operation in residential areas, calling the crash a “high-speed collision.”
Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla's Vice President of Autopilot, later noted that the driver manually overridden the system by fully pressing the accelerator pedal. He specified that the vehicle reached speeds of 73 mph prior to the impact, with the accelerator still engaged afterward.
The NHTSA has opened 46 investigations into Tesla vehicles utilizing self-driving or driver-assistance technologies in the last decade, leading to multiple fatalities.
Despite its designation, Tesla's Full Self-Driving system does not render the vehicle fully autonomous. The company advises users to remain alert, ready to intervene at any moment, and acknowledges that drivers must understand the system's limitations.
Images from Harris County Constable Precinct 5 depict significant damage to the residence, with the vehicle embedded in the front room and debris scattered across the lawn. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez confirmed that the car collided with the home, impacting Avila.