Tesla official says driver in deadly Katy crash overrode self-driving
Tesla crashes into house, kills an elderly Texas woman
A woman has died, and a man was taken to the hospital after a Tesla crashed into a home in Katy on Friday night, officials said. According to authorities, the crash occurred near the intersection of Rose Hollow Lane and Blooming Park Lane. Officials said a woman in her 70s was pinned and injured by the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
KATY, Texas - A Tesla official says a driver who claimed to be using autopilot when his car slammed into a Katy home actually overrode self-driving by pressing on the accelerator.
A woman was killed in the crash, and the driver was hospitalized.
Tesla addresses autopilot claims
The crash occurred near the intersection of Rose Hollow Lane and Blooming Park Lane on Friday night.
The driver told authorities he had his Tesla Model 3 on autopilot going eastbound on Rose Hollow Lane.
Authorities said the driver did not stay in a single lane, veered off the road, and sped into a brick home.
VIDEO: Elderly woman dead after Tesla crashes into home
A grandmother was killed after a Tesla veered off the road and crashed into the home she was in near the Cinco Ranch area. Harris County officials say the driver was hospitalized.
Officials said Martha Avila, 76, was inside her home and was hit by the vehicle. She died at the hospital.
The driver of the Tesla was taken to the hospital by ambulance. He showed no signs of intoxication.
The other side:
Ashok Elluswamy, who leads AI at Tesla, wrote on X, "In this case, the driver manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100% of the accel pedal in this residential area. They reached a speed of 73 mph during the crash, and had the accelerator pressed even after the crash."
Investigation continues
What's next:
FOX 26 has confirmed that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will be investigating the crash.
No one has been charged in the crash at this time.
The Source: The information in this article comes from the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the NTSB and Ashok Elluswamy on X.