Texas driver charged after Tesla on Autopilot crashes into home, kills woman

A Texas man has been charged with manslaughter after his Tesla Model 3, operating in Autopilot mode, crashed into a home and killed a 76-year-old woman, authorities said.

Michael Butler, 44, was using Tesla’s driver-assistance system when the vehicle left the road at a high speed on 19 June and slammed into the home of Martha Avila, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

Avila was airlifted to a hospital but later died from her injuries.

Court records show Butler was charged Wednesday with one count of manslaughter and is being held in the Harris County Jail on a $150,000 bond.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into the crash.

Security camera footage showed the Tesla veering off the road, crossing a driveway, and crashing into the house while Avila was inside.

Authorities said Butler showed no signs of intoxication and cooperated with investigators.

Tesla executive Ashok Elluswamy later said on X that Butler manually overrode the self-driving system by pressing the accelerator, causing the vehicle to accelerate to 73 mph (117 kph) before impact.

Tesla’s Autopilot is an advanced driver-assistance feature that can steer, accelerate, and brake automatically, but the company instructs drivers to remain attentive and keep their hands on the wheel at all times.