--- title: "Tesla Slams Into Crowded Cafe, Killing One" description: "One California woman is dead after a Tesla slammed into a crowded cafe patio just weeks after another Tesla blasted through a garage door." date: "2026-07-04" modified: "2026-07-04" authors: - name: "Joe Wilkins" job_title: "Correspondent" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jwilkins" url: "https://futurism.com/advanced-transport/tesla-slams-crowded-cafe-killing-one" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Tesla" --- # Tesla Slams Into Crowded Cafe, Killing One ![A color treated photograph of a Tesla logo hood ornament.]() *Ty Lim / Shutterstock; Futurism* One woman is dead after a wayward Tesla barreled into the Urbane Cafe, a strip mall restaurant in Simi Valley, California. The driver of the Tesla, identified as a 64-year-old woman, was taken to the hospital for minor injuries, [*ABC News* reported](). The woman was riding with four juvenile passengers, one of whom also had to be taken to the hospital. At least five others were injured when the Tesla blew through the cafe's outdoor patio area. "We're still trying to determine if speed was involved," Simi Valley police Sergeant Rick Morton told *ABC*. "We do know that the Tesla was going northbound through the parking lot. It was attempting to make a right-hand turn to go eastbound toward Madera and, unfortunately, did not make the turn and went over the sidewalk when it struck the female victim." It isn't known whether any of Tesla's [notorious driver-assistance features]() were engaged at the time of the crash, but it would hardly come as a shock if they were. Just a few weeks ago, another Tesla said to be driving on the company's "autopilot system" blasted its way [through a garage door]() in Washington state. Coming in under the span of a month, the two incidents underscore some of the scarier aspects of Tesla's self-driving features, whether they're the lower-level Autopilot or the so-called "Full Self-Driving" mode. Even on a good day, the features lull drivers into a false sense of security, leading to inattentiveness behind the wheel. And on a bad one, these features can turn Teslas into manslaughter machines, dragging riders into the [paths of oncoming trains](), past [stopped school buses](), and even into [Wile E Coyote-style walls]() painted to look like roads. **More on Tesla:** *[Cybertruck Recalled to Keep Its Wheels From Flying Off While Driving]()* ## Author At Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power — examining the economics, history, and politics behind today’s dystopian headlines. As a writer, I’m interested in topics ranging from AI’s impact on labor to startups nobody asked for. My prior work includes bylines in Jacobin, Verso, and Blue Labyrinths. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Forbes, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Verge, and Wired. I grew up in Michigan, attending Central Michigan University as well as Ball State University, where I earned a master of music. I now live in Brooklyn with my girlfriend and our cat Ziti. On weekends, you can find me hunched over a cold pint arguing geopolitics with the other transplants. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()