Tesla sued after Autopilot crash kills 76-year-old in Texas home

On June 19, a Tesla Model 3 operating with its Autopilot or Full Self‑Driving feature engaged left Rose Hollow Lane in Katy, Texas, and struck a residential home. The vehicle entered the front yard at high speed, tearing through the wall where 76‑year‑old Martha Avila (also reported as Martha Ávila Mantilla) was inside. She was airlifted to a hospital and later died. The driver, Michael Butler, told police he was using the vehicle’s autonomous assistance system at the time of the crash and later reported injuries.

Avila’s daughter, Jennifer Barbour, and her husband, Justin Barbour, filed a lawsuit in Harris County seeking more than $1 million in damages, alleging Tesla’s design is defective and that the company promoted unsafe technology. The complaint claims the car “failed to detect the end of the street” and accelerated unintentionally while Full Self‑Driving was active. Tesla and Elon Musk have responded on X, arguing the driver overrode the system and was traveling around 73 mph (117 km/h). Tesla’s AI software VP Ashok Elluswamy said the driver pressed the accelerator to 100 % before the impact.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened a federal investigation into the crash, adding to a series of probes into Tesla’s driver‑assistance systems. The incident has reignited debate over the safety of semi‑autonomous vehicle technology and the obligations of manufacturers to ensure driver attention.