NEW YORK (AP) — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated an investigation into a fatal crash involving a Tesla Model 3 in Texas. The incident occurred on Friday near Houston, where the vehicle, reportedly using an automated driving feature, collided with a home at high speed. The crash resulted in the death of Martha Avila, a 76-year-old woman who was inside the house.
The driver involved in the crash informed the Harris County Sheriff’s Office that the technology was in use during the incident. However, the extent of its involvement remains uncertain. The police confirmed that the driver was not under the influence of alcohol and is cooperating with authorities.
Video footage from KHOU-TV captures the Tesla speeding across a lawn and crashing into the brick home in Katy. The vehicle ended up embedded in the house, surrounded by debris.
Tesla has not yet provided comments regarding the crash. The NHTSA has been probing several incidents concerning Tesla’s use of self-driving technology. This includes a previous investigation into 58 incidents where Teslas reportedly violated traffic laws while using such technology, resulting in crashes, fires, and injuries.
Over the past decade, the NHTSA has opened 46 special investigations related to Tesla’s self-driving and driver-assistance technologies. In multiple instances, these investigations were related to fatal crashes involving drivers, passengers, or pedestrians.
Tesla shares faced a downturn early last year as sales plummeted, partly due to a boycott of CEO Elon Musk after political controversies. Musk shifted Tesla’s focus to AI and robotaxis, resulting in a 16% increase in stock value over the past year.
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