United States road safety officials have opened an investigation into a fatal Tesla crash in Texas after the vehicle left the road and struck a family home, killing a 76-year-old woman inside.
The collision happened at about 8pm on 19 June in Katy, west of Houston. Local authorities said the Tesla Model 3 approached an intersection at speed but did not follow the road as it curved to the right. It instead continued towards the property and crashed through the building.
The woman suffered critical injuries and was taken to hospital, where she later died. Her daughter, son-in-law, and three grandchildren were also inside the house at the time, but were not reported to have suffered physical injuries.
“My mum was such a caring woman,” the victim’s daughter told local television after describing how she found her mother following the impact.
The driver was also taken to hospital and has been cooperating with investigators. Police said there was no indication that he had been drinking. According to authorities, he told officers that an automated driver-assistance feature had been operating shortly before the crash.
Sergeant Alex Turman of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said investigators were still working to establish why the vehicle did not slow down or complete the turn.
“We’re still evaluating what caused the car to fail to control its speed just before this crash,” he said.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has now launched a special crash investigation, one of the agency’s most detailed forms of inquiry. The review will examine vehicle information, the driver’s account, and the sequence of events before the collision. It will be conducted separately from the local police investigation.
Officials have not confirmed which Tesla system was active or whether the technology contributed to the incident. Tesla markets its most advanced assistance software as Full Self-Driving Supervised, although motorists must remain attentive and ready to take control.
The investigation comes as Tesla’s automated driving technology faces wider scrutiny from U.S. regulators and lawmakers. Previous federal inquiries have examined crashes involving the company’s assistance systems, including incidents linked to poor visibility and failures to respond to road hazards.
Such investigations do not automatically establish that a manufacturer or its software was responsible. However, their findings can lead to recalls, enforcement measures, or tighter safety requirements.
Tesla has not publicly commented on the crash or the federal inquiry.