Tesla with 'Autopilot' Crashes Into House in U.S., Killing One Resident

A Tesla vehicle with its advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS), known as "Autopilot," engaged crashed into a house in the United States, resulting in the death of a resident inside, according to reports.

According to The New York Times (NYT) on June 21 (local time), the Harris County Sheriff's Office in Texas stated that a Tesla Model 3 veered off the road and struck a house in Katy, located about 30 km west of Houston, on June 19.

The vehicle collided with the brick house at a high speed, causing severe injuries to a resident in their 70s who was near the entrance.

The victim was transported to a hospital by helicopter but was pronounced dead.

The scene of the vehicle speeding into the house was captured on closed-circuit television (CCTV) installed at the home's entrance.

Investigators are currently questioning the driver to determine the circumstances of the accident.

The sheriff's office reported that the driver was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

"We are still investigating why the vehicle failed to control its speed just before the accident," the sheriff's office stated.

Tesla's basic driver-assistance system, "Autopilot," assists drivers by maintaining lane positioning and keeping a set distance from the vehicle ahead.

According to the user manual, even when "Autopilot" mode is engaged, drivers must keep their hands on the steering wheel at all times and be prepared to respond to unexpected situations.

Tesla refers to its advanced driver-assistance features as "Autopilot" and "Full Self-Driving (FSD)."

However, even FSD, which is a step above Autopilot and capable of functions such as lane changes and navigating intersections, requires constant driver supervision and the ability to intervene when necessary.

In the U.S., there has been ongoing controversy and a series of lawsuits regarding these names, as critics argue they mislead consumers into believing the vehicles have fully autonomous capabilities, leading to accidents.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.