Tesla Settles Lawsuit Tied to Fatal 2023 FSD Crash in Arizona

Tesla has quietly settled a lawsuit related to a fatal 2023 crash in Arizona involving a Model Y using its Full Self-Driving system. The crash, which resulted in the death of 71-year-old Johna Story, prompted an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) into whether Tesla’s camera-based technology can detect hazards during sun glare, dust, or fog. The NHTSA escalated the probe this year, citing concerns that Tesla’s technology could fail to detect or warn the driver under degraded visibility conditions. Tesla has changed cameras on older vehicles to address the issues and continues to work with regulators. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. The crash was the first known pedestrian fatality linked to Tesla’s automation technology and was one of 40,901 deaths on US roads in 2023. Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system has been under scrutiny, with some auto-safety advocates positing that aspects of the system are defective. The company has sought approvals around the world for versions of the technology, despite concerns over its safety.