Tesla has attributed blame to the driver in a fatal Texas crash, stating that the vehicle was manually accelerated and not solely relying on its 'Autopilot' feature when it rammed into a home, killing a 76-year-old grandmother. The incident occurred on June 19 in Katy, Texas, when Michael Butler's Tesla Model 3 veered off a residential road and struck the house.
Martha Avila, the resident killed in the crash, was in the front playroom of her family's home when the vehicle crashed through the house. She was transported to a nearby hospital with severe injuries and later died. The Harris County Sheriff's office stated that Butler told investigators his car was operating on 'Autopilot,' an automated driving assistance system, at the time of the collision.
However, Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla's Vice President of Autopilot, stated on Monday that the driver, Butler, was at fault. According to Elluswamy, Butler "manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100% of the accelerator pedal in this residential area." He added that the vehicle reached a speed of 73 mph and that the accelerator remained pressed even after the impact. Elon Musk had initially questioned the incident on social media, stating "this makes no sense."
The investigation into the fatal crash is ongoing, with both the Harris County Sheriff's Department and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) probing the case. Emergency crews at the scene discovered a large hole in the house and widespread debris. Doorbell footage captured the moment the vehicle struck the home at high speed.
Avila's daughter, Jennifer Barbour, was in the backyard when she heard the crash. Her husband, Justin Barbour, was in the kitchen preparing dinner just moments before the incident. After the initial chaos, they discovered Avila had been struck by the vehicle.
Butler also sustained injuries in the crash and was hospitalized. Investigators have reported that Butler showed no signs of intoxication and is cooperating with authorities. Sgt Alex Turman of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office indicated that the vehicle's automated driving features are a line of investigation, and authorities are working with individuals familiar with Tesla vehicles and the driver to determine the role of driver control in the crash. The Sheriff's Department has stated they have found no evidence of a mechanical malfunction, but the investigation is not yet complete. The case file will be presented to the Harris County District Attorney's Office to determine if criminal charges are appropriate.
Tesla's 'Autopilot' system requires constant driver supervision and is not a fully self-driving system. Critics have raised concerns that the system's branding may mislead drivers into believing the car is more capable of autonomous operation than it is.
Avila's family has established a GoFundMe page to assist with expenses, as the crash left their home uninhabitable. As of Tuesday afternoon, the page had raised over $32,000.