Lawsuit Filed After Fatal Tesla Model X Crash in Idaho

Wrongful death lawsuit alleges Tesla overstated Model X safety after a 2023 Idaho crash that killed four people. Learn more about the case.

Tesla is once again facing legal scrutiny over the safety of its vehicles, following a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from a fatal crash involving a Tesla Model X in Idaho. The collision, which occurred in September 2023, claimed the lives of four members of a single family and their dog.

The crash took place on the evening of September 1 along Idaho State Highway 33. According to police reports, a 2022 Tesla Model X crossed the center line and collided head-on with a Kenworth semi-truck hauling grain. All occupants of the Tesla were wearing seat belts and were pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver was not physically injured.

The lawsuit was filed on August 28, 2025, and is currently moving through Utah’s Third Judicial District Court. It alleges that the vehicle was equipped with defective driver-assistance systems that failed to keep the car within its lane or provide adequate warnings. The complaint specifically names features such as Autosteer, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Centering Assistance, and Emergency Lane Departure Avoidance.

A central argument in the case concerns Tesla’s public messaging around its technology. The plaintiffs claim the company overstated the maturity and real-world safety of its driver-assistance systems, creating a false sense of confidence for drivers. Whether Autopilot was engaged at the time of the crash remains disputed, but the lawsuit argues that core safety systems should function regardless of driving mode.

The Idaho case adds to a broader and ongoing debate surrounding Tesla’s driver-assistance technology. In previous years, U.S. regulators have investigated Autopilot and required the company to implement software updates after determining that existing controls and driver monitoring measures could be insufficient in certain scenarios.

Tesla has not publicly commented on the lawsuit. As the case proceeds, it is likely to intensify scrutiny over how driver-assistance systems are designed, marketed, and understood — and whether their real-world performance aligns with the expectations placed upon them.