The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed Wednesday that the driver of a Tesla involved in a fatal crash in June pressed the accelerator pedal to 100%, overriding the company's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software. Data retrieved from the Tesla showed the vehicle was traveling over 70 miles per hour when it struck a house in Katy, Texas, killing 76-year-old resident Martha Avila. The victim's family has sued the alleged driver, 44-year-old Michael Butler, and Tesla for negligence. Butler has also been charged with manslaughter.
Vehicle data contradicts FSD involvement
The NTSB released the findings as part of a preliminary report, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also investigating. The data aligns with Tesla's account provided days after the crash, indicating the advanced driver assistance system was not at fault. Elon Musk posted on X that the allegation made no sense, emphasizing that FSD drives slowly on residential streets while this was a high-speed crash.
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Driver searched for ways to make the system more aggressive
According to the report, Butler was using Full Self-Driving (Supervised) on Rose Hollow Lane, a two-lane residential road with a 30 mph speed limit. Security footage showed the car accelerating through an intersection, leaving the road, and hitting the house. Weather was clear, road dry, and daylight present. Tesla requires drivers using FSD to remain attentive and ready to take control. Butler reportedly told authorities he had passed out and was using the driver assistance system. Police discovered his Google searches included phrases like "Tesla FSD not aggressive enough 2026" and "Tesla FSD too timid."
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This incident reignites debate over autonomous driving reliability. While companies like Thinking Machines release open-source AI models with adjustable reasoning control, the Texas tragedy underscores the critical need for human oversight. The NTSB will continue its investigation to identify any system deficiencies and issue safety recommendations.
