Tesla disputes liability in fatal Texas crash, citing driver override of FSD system
Following a collision in Katy that killed a 76-year-old woman, Tesla AI head Ashok Elluswamy and CEO Elon Musk have rejected allegations that Full Self-Driving technology contributed to the incident, pointing instead to manual acceleration.
Tesla has formally disputed allegations that its Full Self-Driving (FSD) technology played a role in a fatal collision in Katy, Texas, which resulted in the death of a 76-year-old woman. The incident, which occurred in a residential neighbourhood last Friday, involved a Model 3 striking a home while the vehicle was operating with an automated driving assistance system, according to confirmation from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Tesla AI head Ashok Elluswamy stated that driver Michael Butler manually overrode the system by pressing the accelerator to 100 per cent. Elluswamy noted on X that the vehicle reached speeds of 73 mph and that the accelerator remained pressed even after the crash occurred. The manufacturer characterised the event as a high-speed incident, contrasting it with typical FSD operation in residential areas.
Elon Musk also addressed the incident, stating that the FSD system is designed to drive slowly through neighbourhood streets. He described the crash as a high-speed event, thereby distancing the company’s autonomous technology from the cause of the collision. Despite Tesla disbanding its public relations team several years ago, Elluswamy expressed frustration with the media coverage, accusing outlets of planting fear, uncertainty, and doubt in the public mind.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into the crash and Tesla’s FSD system. The regulator is examining whether the system properly alerts drivers when poor conditions prevent it from adequately scanning the roads. This inquiry coincides with a broader review of the technology following the discontinuation of the Autopilot driver-assist feature in January, which was replaced by the subscription-based FSD package.
The exact sequence of events leading to the override of the self-driving system remains under investigation. The extent to which the FSD system’s performance contributed to the crash is not yet determined, as the NHTSA investigation continues.
