The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a special crash investigation on Monday into a Tesla Model 3 incident in Katy, Texas, where the vehicle slammed into a home, killing 76-year-old Martha Avila. Harris County authorities said driver Michael Butler was cooperating with their investigation and reported he had been using Tesla's partially automated driving systems when his vehicle barreled out of its lane and into the home in the Houston suburb. The probe adds to more than three dozen Tesla special crash investigations the federal vehicle safety regulator has opened since 2016 involving the company's advanced driver assistance systems.
Driver Reported Using Tesla's Automated Systems During Fatal Crash
Harris County authorities said Michael Butler was cooperating with their investigation on the scene. Butler reported he had been using Tesla's partially automated driving systems when his Model 3 barreled out of its lane and into the home in the Houston suburb. CNBC reached out to Tesla for comment.
NHTSA Opened More Than Three Dozen Tesla Crash Investigations Since 2016
The federal vehicle safety regulator has opened more than three dozen Tesla special crash investigations involving the company's advanced driver assistance systems, or partially automated driving systems, since 2016, when these became a standard part of the EV maker's new vehicles. The standard option had been marketed as Autopilot in the U.S. before February this year, when Elon Musk's automaker changed its brand name under legal pressure from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. A California court and the state's DMV found that Tesla had engaged in false advertising around its Autopilot systems, potentially confusing consumers about its limitations.
California Incident in May Involved Tesla Crashing Through House
A May incident in Clairemont, California, saw a Tesla crash through a house. Six people were injured when a Tesla struck another vehicle and slammed into the home, according to NBC 7 San Diego. Witnesses told CBS News 8 that the driver said they were using Autopilot at the time of the crash. Authorities are investigating. TeslaDeaths.com, an independent site that tracks Tesla-involved collisions using news reports, police records and federal data, has found at least 65 fatalities resulting from crashes where Tesla Autopilot or FSD (Supervised) had been mentioned as a factor from 2013 to 2025.
Tesla Stock Performance
Tesla shares closed up by a point on Monday at $405.05 despite news of the federal probe.
FAQ
What happened in the Tesla Model 3 crash in Katy, Texas?
A Tesla Model 3 slammed into a home in Katy, Texas, killing 76-year-old Martha Avila. Driver Michael Butler reported he had been using Tesla's partially automated driving systems when his vehicle barreled out of its lane and into the home in the Houston suburb.
How many Tesla crash investigations has NHTSA opened since 2016?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened more than three dozen Tesla special crash investigations involving the company's advanced driver assistance systems since 2016, when these became a standard part of the EV maker's new vehicles.
Why did Tesla change the Autopilot brand name in February this year?
Tesla changed its Autopilot brand name in February this year under legal pressure from the California Department of Motor Vehicles. A California court and the state's DMV found that Tesla had engaged in false advertising around its Autopilot systems, potentially confusing consumers about its limitations.
