Tesla vehicles crash in Texas and California, killing two
Two fatal crashes of Tesla vehicles occurred within ten days in the US: one in Texas on 19 June killed a woman as the vehicle struck a house while Autopilot was on, and another in California on 29 June killed one person when an SUV drove into a cafe. The Texas victim's family sued Tesla and the driver; NHTSA opened a special investigation into the Texas crash while authorities have not confirmed whether the advanced driver assistance system was active in the California incident.
What happened
On 19 June 2026, a Tesla Model 3 with Autopilot engaged drove into a house in Harris County, Texas, killing a woman in her 70s who was on the porch.
On 29 June 2026, a Tesla SUV drove into a cafe's outdoor seating area at a shopping centre in Simi Valley, California, killing one person and injuring five others. The driver was a 64-year-old woman with four children in the vehicle.
Reported impact
The family of the Texas victim filed a lawsuit against both the driver and Tesla, claiming the company's driving assistance technology was related to the crash.
Police said the California crash did not appear intentional, but could not determine whether it resulted from mechanical failure or driver impairment.
Index analysis
Whether the advanced driver assistance system was active during the California crash remains unconfirmed.
Tesla stated that in the Texas crash the driver pressed the accelerator pedal to disengage Autopilot, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a special crash investigation.
Governance controls
Tesla offers Autopilot as standard equipment with adaptive cruise control, and provides Full Self-Driving as an optional feature where AI controls lane changes and driving while the driver supervises.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.