Tesla Cybertruck FSD system drives off Houston overpass, severely injures driver
A Tesla Cybertruck operating in Full Self-Driving mode failed to navigate a highway overpass curve in Houston and drove into a concrete barrier, severely injuring the driver. The driver filed a lawsuit alleging design and marketing defects, and specifically alleging that CEO Elon Musk negligently overrode engineering recommendations to use more reliable sensors.
What happened
On August 18, 2025, Justine Saint Amour was driving a Cybertruck on the 69 Eastex Freeway in Houston with Full Self-Driving (FSD) engaged. As the vehicle approached a Y-shaped overpass split, the system failed to follow the required right-hand curve and instead steered directly toward a concrete barrier at the edge of the overpass, with the freeway below.
Saint Amour disengaged the system and grabbed the wheel, but could not avoid the collision. The truck struck the barrier, causing the hood to fly open and body panels to detach.
Reported impact
Saint Amour suffered permanent injuries, including three herniated discs, wrist tendon damage, and neuropathy. She filed a lawsuit against Tesla in Harris County District Court in February 2026, seeking over $1 million in damages.
Index analysis
The incident is attributed to a failure in Tesla's Vision system, which relies exclusively on cameras rather than LiDAR or radar. The lawsuit alleges that Tesla leadership, specifically CEO Elon Musk, overrode engineering recommendations to include more reliable sensors.
The branding of the system as 'Full Self-Driving' may create a false sense of security, leading users to trust the software in complex environments like freeway interchanges where the system's supervised limitations are most critical. In December 2025, a California judge ruled that Tesla's FSD marketing is 'unambiguously false.'
Governance controls
The lawsuit includes allegations that Tesla was negligent in 'hiring and retaining Elon Musk as CEO, and allowing him to participate in product design decisions' and in 'allowing Elon Musk to override the concerns of engineers at Tesla.' The complaint alleges Tesla engineers recommended incorporating radar and LiDAR sensors, but Musk rejected the recommendation in favor of relying solely on cameras.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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