Tesla Autopilot was on in I-35 crash that killed its driver

A 2024 Tesla Model Y crashed on Interstate 35 in rural Missouri in April 2025, killing its 64-year-old driver when the car left the road and hit a guardrail. Police described it as a routine single-vehicle wreck with no clear cause. But Tesla's own report to federal safety regulators shows the car's driver-assist system, either Autopilot or the more advanced "Full Self-Driving" software, was active when the crash happened. Automakers are required to report crashes to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration when these systems are engaged near the moment of impact, which is why the report exists at all.

Tesla's filing confirms basic facts: the car was going 73 mph in a 70 mph zone and struck a fixed object. But Tesla blacked out the details that would explain what actually happened, including which software version was running and any account of the crash itself, citing business confidentiality. This pattern, a car drifting out of its lane or off the road while a driver-assist system is on, shows up repeatedly in Tesla's crash filings nationwide.

For homeowners who own or are considering a Tesla, this doesn't change any rebate or upgrade program, but it's a reminder that Autopilot and Full Self-Driving are driver-assist features, not self-driving systems. The driver remains responsible at all times. Tesla is currently under a separate federal investigation into how it reports these crashes.