A woman from Houston is pursuing a $1 million lawsuit against Tesla following an incident in which her Cybertruck, reportedly operating on “Autopilot,” attempted to drive off a freeway overpass and collided with a concrete barrier. The driver, Justine Saint Amour, sustained severe spinal and nerve injuries as a result of the crash. Her attorney contends that Tesla’s marketing of its self-driving technology is misleading, creating an unsafe illusion of security for vehicle owners.
The crash occurred on August 18, 2025, on the 69 Eastex Freeway in Houston. Attorney Bob Hilliard stated that dashcam footage from the truck captured the moment it veered dangerously close to the edge of the overpass without any warning. Hilliard noted that Saint Amour attempted to regain control of the vehicle before the accident, but was unable to avoid the impact.
In a court filing from February 2026, the lawsuit criticizes Tesla’s promotion of its “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) technology. Hilliard pointed out that despite the advanced nomenclature and the premium price tag, the technology is classified as SAE Level 2, which necessitates that drivers remain vigilant and ready to take control at any moment. “That’s not self-driving,” Hilliard emphasized.
This lawsuit aligns with ongoing concerns voiced by federal safety officials regarding Tesla’s marketing practices. In 2021, Jennifer Homendy, the Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), condemned Tesla’s advertising as “misleading and irresponsible.” This critique followed an acknowledgment by CEO Elon Musk that a version of the FSD software was “actually not great.”
Moreover, the legal action brings attention to perceived shortcomings in the Cybertruck’s safety features. Hilliard asserts that the vehicle lacks a sufficient driver alert system to ensure that the driver remains engaged. Additionally, the filing claims that the automatic emergency braking (AEB) system is not adequately designed to override the artificial intelligence if it becomes unresponsive.
Hilliard further alleged that Tesla has employed non-disclosure agreements to silence drivers who wish to report failures of the FSD system. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has previously raised concerns about this practice, suggesting it may hinder federal safety investigations.
As of now, Tesla has not publicly responded to the lawsuit filed in February.
