Houston Woman Sues Tesla After Cybertruck Crash

A woman from Houston has filed a lawsuit against Tesla, claiming that when driving her Cybertruck in self-driving mode, the vehicle nearly drove her and her young child off a bridge before colliding with an elevated crossing gate. The lawsuit seeks $1 million for negligence and liability, detailing injuries the woman sustained during the incident that took place in August 2025.

Attorney Bob Hilliard stated, “On August 18, 2025, our client, Justin St. Amour, was driving a Tesla Cybertruck with autopilot activated on Eastex Freeway 69 in Houston.” He added, “Something terrible happened. Without warning, the car tried to go straight off the overpass.”

Dashcam footage shows St. Amour navigating a curve on a Y-shaped overpass, only to have the car seemingly veer straight into a concrete barrier. The impact was significant, sending debris flying from the vehicle. St. Amour’s lawyer mentioned that she had attempted to disable the driver-assistance feature and regain control of the Cybertruck, but it was moving too fast for her to intervene effectively.

As a result, St. Amour suffered substantial injuries, primarily to her shoulder, neck, and back, including two herniated discs in her lower back and one in her neck. Additionally, she sprained a wrist tendon and experienced nerve damage in her right hand, which has led to symptoms like numbness and weakness. Fortunately, her one-year-old child, who was in the back seat, was unharmed during the crash.

The lawsuit claims Tesla misrepresented the capabilities of its driver-assistance systems and points to flaws in the design of its “Autopilot” feature. Hilliard notably remarked that the vehicle relies solely on cameras instead of more advanced sensor technologies like LiDAR, which could measure distance, and criticized the lack of an effective driver alert system.

He stated, “Tesla’s decision made Justin’s accident inevitable. This company wants drivers to believe and trust their lives on a lie: that the car can drive itself, and that it can drive itself safely. It can’t, and it doesn’t.”

This lawsuit has emerged following Tesla’s need to comply with California regulations stemming from allegations of false advertising regarding its Autopilot features, which were presented as self-driving technology. The automaker recently rebranded this system in response to legal challenges.

Tesla’s efforts to protect its image coincide with the launch of its autonomous ride-hailing vehicle, CyberCab, which is designed without a steering wheel or pedals—reflecting the company’s ambitious plans for future mobility.

Despite attempts to reach Tesla for a statement, there has been no response as of now.