The leading U.S. automotive regulator initiated an inquiry on Monday following a tragic incident in Texas where a Tesla, utilizing autonomous driving technology, crashed into a residence at high speed, resulting in the death of a 76-year-old woman inside. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a special investigation into the Tesla Model 3 accident that took place near Houston last Friday, involving the use of crucial technology endorsed by Elon Musk for the company’s future endeavors.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, is introducing robotaxis equipped with automated software in various U.S. cities this year and intends to enlist Tesla owners to incorporate their vehicles into the fleet using the same system nationwide. The driver involved in the crash informed the Harris County Sheriff’s Office that they were utilizing the technology, although it remains unclear if this technology contributed to the tragedy.
A video clip captured the car colliding with the house, and although Tesla did not provide a comment, the head of the company’s artificial intelligence division hinted on social media that the self-driving feature was not at fault. The individual stated that the driver had overridden the self-driving function by fully depressing the accelerator in a residential area.
The police report confirmed that the driver was sober and is cooperating with authorities. The victim was identified as Martha Avila. Investigations by the auto safety regulator, NHTSA, have previously scrutinized Tesla, including incidents where Teslas violated traffic laws while using autonomous technology, resulting in multiple crashes and injuries. NHTSA has also probed Tesla’s reporting practices regarding crashes and has opened numerous cases over the past decade relating to Tesla vehicles using self-driving or driver-assistance features, some of which led to fatalities.
Tesla’s stock faced a significant decline last year amid various challenges, but Musk’s strategic focus on AI and robotaxis has seen the company’s stock rise by 16% in the past year, shifting the narrative away from solely car sales.