A Texas jury may hear a lawsuit accusing Tesla of delivering a defective Model 3 that struck a home and killed 76‑year‑old Martha Avila. Plaintiffs Jennifer and Justin Barbour seek over $1 million in damages, alleging the car’s Full Self‑Driving system accelerated unintentionally and failed to recognize the house at the street’s end. Driver Michael Butler maintains he was not intoxicated and says the assist mode was engaged.

Elon Musk posted on X that the high‑speed impact disproves any FSD fault, noting the feature normally crawls through neighborhoods. Vice president of AI software Ashok Elluswamy echoed the claim, asserting Butler slammed the accelerator to 100 percent, pushing the vehicle to 73 mph even after impact. Police reports found no mechanical failure, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened its own investigation.

The complaint cites two technical theories: “Sudden Unintended Acceleration,” a battery‑voltage spike that can misread pedal input, and the removal of obstacle‑detection hardware during a chip shortage, which allegedly left the car blind to the house. The Barbours demand preservation of the car’s black‑box data and sensor logs, hoping a jury will hold Tesla accountable for unsafe autonomous design.