Tesla faces federal probe after Model 3 crash that killed 76-year-old
A Tesla Model 3 is shown driving on the highway with FSD 14.2.2.3 autonomous driving control software on January 28, 2026 in Irvine, California, USA.
Mike Blake | Reuters
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration It said in a statement on Monday that it had launched a special crash investigation into one incident. Tesla’s The incident in which a Model 3 crashed into a house in Katy, Texas, killing 76-year-old Martha Avila.
Harris County authorities said the driver, Michael Butler, cooperated with the investigation at the scene and was using Tesla’s partially autonomous driving systems when his vehicle drifted out of its lane and entered the home in suburban Houston.
CNBC has reached out to Tesla for comment.
The federal vehicle safety regulator has opened more than three dozen Tesla-specific crash investigations involving the company’s “advanced driver assistance systems,” or partially automated driving systems, since 2016 when they became a standard part of the EV maker’s new vehicles.
The standard option was marketed as Autopilot in the US before February of this year, when Elon Musk’s automaker changed its brand name under legal pressure from the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
A California court and the state’s DMV found that Tesla engaged in false advertising around its Autopilot systems, potentially confusing consumers about the system’s limitations.
In an incident that took place in Clairemont, California, in May, a Tesla crashed into a house. Six people were injured when the Tesla hit another vehicle and crashed into a house. NBC 7San Diego.
Witnesses told CBS News 8 It was stated that the driver said that they were using autopilot at the time of the accident. Authorities are investigating.
TeslaDeaths.comAn independent site that tracks crashes involving Tesla using news reports, police records and federal data found at least 65 deaths from 2013 to 2025 resulting from crashes in which Tesla Autopilot, or FSD (Supervised), was cited as a factor.
The latest NHTSA investigation comes as Musk struggles to maintain investors’ faith that the automaker can be a global leader in autonomous vehicles.
The company has been working on autonomous driving systems for years and has promised that its technology will be advanced and safe enough for the company to soon operate large robotaxi fleets on public roads in the United States.
Tesla shares closed at $405.05 on Monday despite news of the federal investigation.
