A Houston mother and her one-year-old child narrowly escaped death when her Tesla Cybertruck’s autopilot system allegedly failed to navigate a curve, sending the vehicle crashing into a concrete barrier on an elevated overpass. Dashcam footage captured the terrifying August 2025 incident that left the driver with severe injuries and has now sparked a $1 million lawsuit against Tesla.

Autopilot Fails to Turn, Drives Straight Toward Edge

On August 18, 2025, Justine Saint Amour was driving her Cybertruck on Houston’s 69 Eastex Freeway with the autopilot feature engaged. The vehicle was approaching a Y-shaped overpass requiring a right-hand curve. According to the dashcam video, the Cybertruck barely turned and continued straight ahead, heading directly toward the edge of the elevated roadway. Saint Amour attempted to disengage the driver-assistance system and take manual control, but the vehicle was already too far in motion for effective intervention.

The Cybertruck slammed into a concrete barrier on the overpass at high speed. The video shows the vehicle ricocheting from the impact as parts flew off the damaged truck. Saint Amour suffered serious injuries, including two herniated discs in her lower back, one in her neck, shoulder damage, a sprained wrist, and nerve damage to her right hand, causing numbness and weakness. Her infant, secured in the backseat, escaped without injury.

Lawsuit Claims Tesla Cut Corners on Safety

Attorney Bob Hilliard, representing Saint Amour, filed the lawsuit in Harris County District Court alleging negligence and misrepresentation of autopilot capabilities. The legal claim argues Tesla failed to incorporate essential safety mechanisms, including more effective emergency braking systems and LiDAR sensing technology that measures distances. Instead, Tesla’s system relies solely on video cameras, which Hilliard described as cutting corners. The lawsuit also claims Tesla lacks proper driver alert systems to ensure drivers remain ready to assume control.

Growing Scrutiny Over Self-Driving Claims

The lawsuit arrives as Tesla faces mounting regulatory pressure over its Autopilot marketing. California recently forced the company to comply with regulations addressing false advertising claims related to its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features. Tesla rebranded its Navigate on Autopilot feature to Navigate on Autosteer following a 2022 California DMV case alleging the company had misleadingly marketed driver assistance systems as autonomous technology. Despite these challenges, Tesla continues expanding its Robotaxi services, including the Cybercab autonomous vehicle designed without steering wheels or pedals. Tesla did not respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit.