--- title: "Cybertruck Catches Fire, Killing Driver" description: "A Tesla Cybertruck has crashed and caught fire, killing its occupant in Texas, likely the first reported death involving the truck." date: "2024-08-05" modified: "2024-08-05" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/cybertruck-catches-fire-driver-death" categories: - "Advanced Transport" tags: - "cybertruck" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Cybertruck Catches Fire, Killing Driver ![A Tesla Cybertruck has crashed and caught fire, killing its occupant in Texas, likely the first reported death involving the truck.]() *\Image: ABC 13\* ## Cybertruck Crash A Tesla Cybertruck crashed and caught fire in Texas, killing its driver in what's believed to be the [first reported fatal crash]() involving the truck. As [*ABC 13* reports](), the driver was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the Cybertruck left the roadway, crashed into a culvert, and burst into flames. Footage shows the remains of the stainless steel pickup after the local fire department had a chance to extinguish the flames. Details regarding the crash are still sparse. For one thing, as local Houston news station [*CW39* reports](), the DPS is investigating whether the Cybertruck's Autopilot feature was turned on. https://twitter.com/Commuternyc/status/1820447866269122598 ## Fatal Crash While we still don't know what caused the driver to veer off the road, Tesla's unorthodox EV pickup has been recalled four times already since going on sale late last year in response to a barrage of technical issues. In April, Tesla [had to recall all Cybertrucks]() over a serious design flaw that could cause the massive pickup's accelerator pedal to get stuck. In June, Tesla had to [recall the truck yet again]() over trim pieces that could fly off while on the road and windshield wipers that [weren't powerful enough](). The EV maker is [still reportedly testing]() its controversial and erroneously-named Full Self-Driving software with the truck. Tesla CEO Elon Musk [recently said]() that FSD will be rolled out broadly for the Cybertruck sometime later this month. The driver assistance software has been embroiled in a number of government investigations. According to an [April report by federal regulators](), FSD has been linked to hundreds of injuries and dozens of deaths. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also concluded that the feature was lulling drivers into a false sense of security and "were not sufficiently engaged in the driving task." Since FSD still isn't currently available for the truck, it couldn't have played a role in the latest death. The truck's [current Autopilot capabilities](), though — include advanced traffic-aware cruise control and Autosteer, which keeps the truck in its lane — may well have been involved. **More on the Cybertruck:** *[First Cybertruck Ambulance Has One Small Problem: Nowhere to Put the Patient]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()