NTSB investigators confirm Tesla driver overrode Full Self-Driving system in fatal crash

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also investigating the crash. Michael Butler, the driver of a Tesla Model 3 that fatally struck a woman in her Texas home, manually overrode the car's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system by pressing the accelerator pedal to 100 percent, according to a preliminary investigation from the National Transportation Safety Board. While local authorities initially reported that the Tesla's automated driving assistance system was engaged when Butler crashed into Martha Avila's home in June, the investigation says otherwise. According to the NTSB, the acceleration disabled the FSD system and the vehicle's speed was ultimately greater than 70 mph when the crash occurred. The investigation's preliminary findings match what Tesla AI head Ashok Elluswamy shared on X in June .