Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Jun 20
Tesla in Automated Mode Crashes Into Texas Home, Killing 1 Woman
Updated
Updated · abcnews.com · Jun 20

Tesla in Automated Mode Crashes Into Texas Home, Killing 1 Woman

3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Jun 20

Summary

  • Around 8 p.m. Friday, a Tesla Model 3 using an automated driving assistance system left the roadway in Katy, Texas, slammed into a brick home and fatally struck M. Avila inside.
  • Investigators said driver Michael Butler failed to stay in a single lane before the car entered the residence at a high rate of speed; Avila was airlifted to a hospital and later pronounced dead.
  • Butler was injured, showed no signs of intoxication and was cooperating with officers, while authorities said Saturday afternoon that no charges had been filed.
  • The crash adds to scrutiny of Tesla's self-driving features as Harris County investigators continue examining what role the automated system played.

Insights

If a car's 'autopilot' fails and kills someone, should the driver or the manufacturer face legal consequences?
As cars drive themselves, how do we prevent our homes from becoming the next tragic crash test zone?
Are our laws keeping pace with the risks posed by semi-autonomous cars driving on public roads?