Tesla driver faces manslaughter charges over Texas crash that killed a woman inside her home

A 44-year-old Tesla Model 3 driver, Michael Butler, was arrested after a crash killed a woman inside her Texas home. Butler allegedly told authorities he was using Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system, and investigators found prior FSD-related Google searches on his phone.

The case adds to legal and regulatory scrutiny over how drivers use and understand advanced driver-assistance systems. If prosecutors focus on reliance on FSD, it could influence future debates over driver responsibility and Tesla’s marketing of semi-autonomous features.