U.S. safety regulators have opened an investigation after a Tesla Model 3 crashed into a home near Houston, Texas, on Friday, killing 76-year-old Martha Avila.
The driver told police he was using Tesla’s automated driving system at the time of the crash. However, Tesla’s head of artificial intelligence, Ashok Elluswamy, said data showed the driver was pressing the accelerator fully and reached about 119 km/h before hitting the house.
Video footage shows the car speeding across a front lawn before crashing into the home. Police said the driver was not impaired and is cooperating with investigators.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is now examining whether Tesla’s self-driving technology played any role in the fatal crash. The agency has previously investigated dozens of crashes involving Tesla’s driver-assistance and self-driving systems.
