US opens second federal investigation of deadly Tesla crash into Texas home

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a special investigation into a fatal Tesla Model 3 crash that occurred Friday near Houston, Texas. The vehicle, reportedly using an automated driving feature, slammed into a home at high speed, killing a 76-year-old woman inside. The driver told authorities he was using the technology, though the role it played is unclear. Tesla's head of AI suggested the driver manually overrode self-driving by accelerating to 73 mph. This investigation is significant as Tesla is expanding its automated driving systems. The NHTSA has previously investigated numerous Tesla incidents involving its self-driving technology.

The US road safety watchdog, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), has opened a Special Crash Investigation into a fatal incident that occurred on June 19 near Houston, Texas. A Tesla Model 3 reportedly operating in self-driving mode crashed into a house, killing a 76-year-old woman inside. The driver told officers he was using the vehicle's automated driving assistance system when it left the road. However, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Tesla's vice president of AI disputed reports of self-driving mode, stating the vehicle was traveling at high speed and the accelerator was pressed.

A fatal crash in Texas is under US federal investigation after a Tesla vehicle, reportedly using its "self-driving" technology, crashed into a home at high speed. The incident occurred when the car failed to turn at an intersection and instead drove directly into a house. A 76-year-old woman inside the home was struck and later died from her injuries. The driver, who was also hospitalized, is cooperating with the investigation. Authorities are examining the driver's claim of using an automated driving system as a potential factor in the crash, while still evaluating the cause of the vehicle's loss of control.

Two separate Tesla crashes occurred recently in the US. In Texas, a 44-year-old man allegedly using the vehicle's automated driving assistance system crashed into a home, killing 76-year-old Martha Avila Mantilla. The driver reportedly failed to stay in his lane, left the roadway, and struck the residence. In Connecticut, a driver was rescued unharmed after his Tesla plunged into a municipal swimming pool while he was attempting to park. The driver is believed to have accidentally hit the accelerator, causing the vehicle to crash through trees and a fence before entering the water. These incidents follow a 2023 recall of over 2 million Tesla vehicles due to concerns about drivers not paying sufficient attention while using automated driving systems.