Tesla Model 3 on autopilot crashes into Texas home, killing resident

A Tesla Model 3 traveling east on Katy, Texas streets at about 8 p.m. on Friday crashed through a brick residence, killing 76-year-old resident Martha Avila, authorities said. The vehicle’s driver, identified as Michael Butler, was using the car’s autopilot feature at the time of the impact. Butler, who sustained injuries, was taken to a nearby hospital and showed no signs of intoxication, according to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s department described the car as moving at a “high rate of speed” before it struck the home. Neighbors reported hearing a loud crash that sounded like thunder and captured security footage showing the Tesla barreling through the subdivision shortly before the collision.

Avila was airlifted to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. Tesla did not respond to requests for comment, and the investigation remains ongoing.

The incident adds to scrutiny of Tesla’s driver-assistance systems. In December 2023, regulators recalled more than 2 million Tesla vehicles for insufficient driver-monitoring safeguards, and a California judge in December 2025 ruled that the company’s marketing of Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features was deceptive.