Tesla on autopilot just killed a woman who was standing in her own living room | Fortune

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation after a Tesla equipped with automated driving features crashed into a Texas home at high speed, killing a 76-year-old woman inside. The agency said it will conduct a special investigation into a Tesla Model 3 crash reported on Friday near Houston. The driver told the Harris County Sheriff’s Office he was using the technology, according to a police report, though the report does not clarify whether it played a role. The victim was identified as Martha Avila. Video obtained by KHOU-TV shows the vehicle traveling over a front lawn in Katy before ramming a front room, with the car inside and debris after impact. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The NHTSA has launched multiple Tesla inquiries over self-driving-related incidents, including a late-2025 probe into 58 alleged traffic safety violations and another focused on crash-reporting requirements.