Houston mother sues Tesla for $1 million after Cybertruck allegedly veered toward overpass edge with infant aboard

Lawsuit alleges Tesla's Autopilot feature failed, leading to crash that injured mother and endangered child

Mar. 18, 2026 at 4:06am

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A Houston woman is suing Tesla for $1 million after her Cybertruck, allegedly operating with its Autopilot feature engaged, veered toward the edge of an overpass on a busy freeway while her 1-year-old child sat in the backseat. The incident, which occurred on August 18, 2025, was captured on camera. The mother, Justine Saint Amour, suffered injuries in the resulting crash and is accusing Tesla of negligence in the design of its self-driving technology.

Why it matters

This lawsuit comes at a time when Tesla's marketing of its self-driving capabilities is already under scrutiny, with the company recently forced to rebrand features like "Autopilot" due to false advertising claims. The case raises broader questions about consumer trust in emerging autonomous vehicle technologies and whether companies are being transparent about the current limitations of their systems.

The details

According to the lawsuit, Saint Amour was driving on Houston's 69 Eastex Freeway when the Cybertruck, with Autopilot engaged, attempted to drive straight off a Y-shaped overpass without warning. Saint Amour disengaged the driver-assistance feature and tried to take control of the wheel, but crashed into a concrete barrier, resulting in injuries. Her 1-year-old child was in the backseat during the incident.

  • The incident occurred on August 18, 2025.
  • Tesla was recently forced to rebrand features like "Autopilot" in 2022 due to false advertising claims.

The players

Justine Saint Amour

A Houston woman who is suing Tesla for $1 million after her Cybertruck, allegedly operating with its Autopilot feature engaged, veered toward the edge of an overpass while her 1-year-old child was in the backseat.

Bob Hilliard

The attorney representing Justine Saint Amour in the liability and negligence case filed in Harris County District Court.

Tesla

The electric vehicle company that is being sued by Justine Saint Amour over the alleged failure of its Autopilot feature.

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What they’re saying

“Something terrifying happened, without warning, the vehicle attempted to drive straight off an overpass.”

— Bob Hilliard, Attorney (FOX Business)

“This company wants drivers to believe and trust their life on a lie: that the vehicle can self-drive and that it can do so safely. It can't, and it doesn't.”

— Bob Hilliard, Attorney (FOX Business)

What’s next

The lawsuit's allegations have not been adjudicated, and the video evidence has not been independently verified. The case will move through Harris County District Court, where a jury will eventually weigh whether Tesla's system failed as alleged and whether the company's design choices constituted negligence.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges and concerns around the marketing and capabilities of autonomous driving technologies. It underscores the need for transparency and accountability from companies developing these systems, to ensure consumers have an accurate understanding of what the technology can and cannot do in order to make informed decisions.