A Tesla vehicle, operating in automated driver-assistance mode, crashed into a house in Harris County, Texas, on Friday night, leading to the death of a woman inside. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office reported this incident and revealed that the crash occurred in Katy, located about 30 miles west of Houston.

The driver, Michael Butler, was in a Tesla Model 3 at around 8 p.m., utilizing the car’s automated driving assistance system. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle failed to stay in a single lane, left the roadway, and collided with a residence at 1907 Blooming Park Lane. The Tesla entered the brick house at high speed, striking Martha Avila inside.

Ms. Avila, 76, was standing in the home’s front room at the crash time. She was airlifted to a hospital by a medical helicopter, where she was later declared deceased. Investigators noted that Mr. Butler exhibited no signs of intoxication and cooperated fully during the ongoing investigation.

A video from a front-door camera recorded the Tesla driving through the driveway and crashing into the house. The exact speed at which the Tesla was traveling remains unclear. Sgt. Alex Turman of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office stated that the authorities are assessing what led to the car’s inability to control its speed before the crash.

Efforts to reach Mr. Butler for comments were unsuccessful, and it remains unclear if he sustained any injuries. Tesla has not commented on the incident or the performance of its software. The autopilot system, a popular driver-assistance feature, has faced issues over the years. Tesla advises drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and be ready to take control if necessary.

In 2023, Tesla recalled over two million vehicles after federal regulators found the company had not adequately ensured driver attentiveness when using the automated system. This action followed an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that began in August 2021, prompted by a series of crashes involving the technology.

In 2024, Tesla resolved a lawsuit accusing the company’s driver-assistance software of causing a California man’s death in 2018.