Tesla now confirms that its self-driving system was engaged when a Model 3 left a residential road in Katy, Texas, and killed a 76-year-old woman inside her home — but the company says the driver overrode it by pressing the accelerator to 100%.
Everything points to a pedal misapplication while the car was under “Full Self-Driving.” Does that mean Tesla is not at fault?
What Tesla is now saying
Tesla’s Head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, said the company’s vehicle data shows driver Michael Butler “manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100% of the accel pedal in this residential area.”
According to Tesla, the Model 3 reached 73 mph with the accelerator floored, and the pedal was still pressed even after the car had plowed through the brick home.
