Tesla Driver Overrode FSD, Accelerated to 70 MPH in Fatal Texas Crash, NTSB Finds

The driver of a Tesla Model 3 involved in a fatal crash in Texas this past June had manually overridden the vehicle's driver-assistance system by fully depressing the accelerator, according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

NTSB's Preliminary Findings

The NTSB's investigation, citing electronic data recovered from the 2025 Model 3, determined the 44-year-old driver was using Tesla's Full Self Driving (FSD) (Supervised) system. However, the driver manually overrode the system by pressing the accelerator pedal to 100%.

This action caused the vehicle to accelerate to over 70 mph before it crashed into a house in Katy, Texas, killing a 76-year-old resident inside. The crash occurred on a residential road with a posted speed limit of 30 mph. The agency's initial findings appear to support Tesla's position that driver action, rather than a system malfunction, was the cause of the incident.

Broader Regulatory Scrutiny

This high-profile crash is under investigation by both the NTSB and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It adds to the intense regulatory focus on Tesla's advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including Autopilot and FSD.

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Since 2016, NHTSA has opened nearly 50 special investigations into Tesla crashes where ADAS was suspected to be in use, with approximately two dozen fatalities reported in those incidents. In March, the agency escalated a probe into 3.2 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD, citing concerns that the system may not adequately detect or warn drivers in conditions with poor visibility.

Implications for Tesla

The NTSB's report confirms an earlier statement made on the social media platform X by Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla's vice president of AI software, who said the driver had manually overridden the system. For Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), a finding of driver error is significant as it can mitigate concerns about the safety and reliability of its FSD technology and potential corporate liability.

Tesla maintains that its Autopilot and FSD features are supplemental aids that require a fully attentive driver with hands on the steering wheel, and they do not make the vehicle autonomous.