Driver who crashed Tesla into home, killing grandma, charged after EV company says he ‘manually overrode’ autopilot

A tragic incident occurred when a driver using Tesla’s Autopilot crashed into a home, resulting in the death of a grandmother. The driver, Michael Butler, has been arrested after Tesla’s data revealed that he manually overrode the self-driving feature and accelerated the vehicle himself.

The crash took place in Katy, Texas, where Butler’s Tesla Model 3 crashed into Martha Ávila’s home at a speed of over 70 miles per hour. Ávila, who was putting away groceries at the time, tragically lost her life due to the impact of the crash.

Butler has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the incident and is also facing a lawsuit from Ávila’s family. The dramatic footage of the crash shows the Tesla driving off the road, across a lawn, and through the front of Ávila’s brick home, causing extensive damage.

Despite Butler claiming that the self-driving system was engaged at the time of the crash, Tesla’s head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, stated that Butler manually overrode the self-driving mode by pressing the accelerator pedal to 100% even after the crash occurred. The vehicle reached a speed of 73 mph during the crash, with the accelerator still pressed down.

Ávila’s family has filed a lawsuit against both Butler and Tesla, holding them responsible for the tragic outcome. They were forced to relocate due to the severe damage caused to their home by the crash. Investigators have ruled out intoxication as a factor in the incident, and the cause of the crash is still under investigation.

This heartbreaking incident serves as a reminder of the potential dangers of relying too heavily on autonomous driving technology and the importance of maintaining control and responsibility while operating a vehicle. Our thoughts go out to the family of Martha Ávila during this difficult time.