Tragic Tesla crash: NTSB confirms driver accelerated to 100 percent
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released preliminary findings regarding a fatal traffic accident in Texas this June. It turns out that the primary cause of the incident, in which a Tesla vehicle crashed into a residential building resulting in one death, was the driver's actions rather than a system failure. Investigations show the driver had the accelerator pedal pressed to the floor. This is reported by Techcrunch.com reports.
According to NTSB data, the Tesla was traveling at over 70 mph (approx. 112 km/h) when it struck a home in Katy. The tragedy resulted in the death of 76-year-old Martha Avila, who was inside the house. Data retrieved from the vehicle's onboard computer confirmed that while the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system was active, the driver pressed the accelerator to 100 percent, taking control of the autopilot.
Is technology to blame or human error?
Following the incident, 44-year-old driver Michael Butler is being charged with criminally negligent homicide. The victim's family has filed lawsuits against both the driver and Tesla. In his initial statements, the driver claimed he had lost consciousness and that the vehicle was in self-driving mode at the time. However, investigation results cast doubt on these claims.Surveillance camera footage shows the vehicle accelerating sharply at an intersection, veering off the road, and crashing directly into the residence. The NTSB report notes that the weather was clear, the road was dry, and visibility was excellent that day, further reducing the likelihood of a technical malfunction.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk responded to the incident on social media, emphasizing that the company's software does not allow for such high speeds in residential areas. According to him, the Full Self-Driving system strictly adheres to safety rules, and a high-speed collision can only occur with human intervention.
The driver's suspicious search history
During the investigation, the driver's Google search history was also examined. According to KTRK TV, before the accident, Michael Butler had searched online about the Tesla autopilot being "too soft" and "not aggressive enough." His search queries included the following phrases:- Tesla FSD not aggressive enough
- Tesla FSD too timid
- Tesla not aggressive enough 2024
As a reminder, Tesla requires drivers using its Full Self-Driving system to remain vigilant at all times and be ready to take control at any second. This incident once again proves that no matter how advanced modern assistance systems are, the responsibility remains with the driver.
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