October DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsSlow PC?RecommendedPC slow today? Run a repair scan before it gets worseResolve common Windows issues and optimize system performance.Scan NowOctober DealsAmazon USDeal season is back - check today's better picksAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
Skip to content
CarCodyAdvertise
Service recordThe Garage

What the Tesla FSD Crash Footage Does—and Doesn’t—Show About the Arizona Fatality

Partial footage related to Johna Story’s fatal 2023 collision near Rimrock does not establish that Tesla FSD misread the sun or caused the crash. Here’s what reporting and the federal inquiry do—and do not—show.
Entry600 Date Time3 min MechanicCarCody Team
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Partial footage released by Bloomberg shows material related to a fatal November 2023 collision on Interstate 17 near Rimrock, Arizona. It does not, by itself, establish that Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system misread the sun or caused the crash. Johna Story, 71, was killed after she left a vehicle to help direct traffic following earlier collisions.

What happened near Rimrock?

On November 27, 2023, a Tesla Model Y struck a stopped vehicle and Story, who had exited a vehicle to help with traffic control after earlier collisions on I-17. The Associated Press reported the circumstances based on an account from the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS).

AP attributed to DPS the account that the Tesla driver’s vision was obstructed by the sun. That is a report about the driver’s visibility; it is not a technical finding that FSD perceived glare incorrectly, nor does it establish what the software was doing at the moment of impact.

What does the released footage establish?

Futurism reported in June 2025 that Bloomberg had obtained and released partial footage and photographs through a public-records request. The material is evidence of what appears in the recorded views, but the available reporting does not supply a complete technical reconstruction or establish the vehicle’s software state.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
#1 Best Overall
Hot Wheels Tesla Model Y, 1:64 Scale Car, Gray, 37/250
  • Hot Wheels Tesla Model Y, HW Green Speed 1/10 [Gray] 37/250
Evidence or question What the available reporting supports What it does not establish
Partial video and photographs Bloomberg released recorded material related to the collision. The full sequence of events, the system’s internal perception or decision-making, or legal causation.
Visibility AP attributed to Arizona DPS the account that the Tesla driver’s vision was obstructed by the sun. That FSD itself was confused by sunlight.
FSD involvement NHTSA opened a preliminary evaluation concerning FSD and crashes involving reduced roadway visibility. That FSD was engaged in this specific collision, or that it caused it.

Video can show visible events, but it cannot alone reveal telemetry, driver inputs, system status, or the basis for a final crash-causation determination. The footage should not be treated as proof of those unseen details.

Was the Tesla driving itself?

The term “self-driving” can imply a vehicle operating without human supervision. The relevant feature in this reporting is Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD), which should be described as a driver-assistance system, not as proof that the car was autonomous. NHTSA’s evaluation concerns FSD-Beta/FSD-Supervised reporting and reduced-visibility crashes; the document does not establish that FSD was active in this particular crash.

Rank #2
gidoyi Toy Car Model X, Pull Back Car Toys Alloy Vehicles with Lights and Sound 1:32 Scale Model Car (White)
  • Made of zinc alloy with ABS plastic parts
  • 5.9 inch x 2.2 inch x 1.8 inch(size)
  • The two sides of doors could be opened,front and back covercould be opened too
  • You can pull back the car,then it can move forwards with Lights and Sound
  • Very suitable as children 4 years and up toys for birthday,Christmas gift, new year. Also it can be a gift for your boyfriend

Whether a driver-assistance feature was engaged and whether a driver could see the roadway are separate factual questions. The available reports do not resolve the first one for this collision. Nor do they provide a final technical account assigning the crash to either driver behavior or software behavior.

What did NHTSA investigate?

NHTSA opened Preliminary Evaluation PE24031, dated November 5, 2024, concerning Tesla Full Self-Driving and crashes involving reduced roadway visibility. The agency record establishes the scope and preliminary status of that inquiry, not a final finding about Story’s death.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #3

The available record does not establish the evaluation’s ultimate status or a final agency conclusion about this specific collision. A preliminary evaluation is not itself a determination that a product defect caused a crash.

Was the family’s lawsuit settled?

Bloomberg Law reported in June 2026 that Tesla had resolved the family’s lawsuit. The report available here does not disclose the settlement terms. A settlement is not, by itself, a verdict or an admission of liability, and no conclusion about fault should be inferred from the resolution alone.

Rank #4
1/32 Model x Metal Die Casting Toy Car,Pull Back Car with Sound and Lights
  • Boy's model toy car: The body is made of alloy material, with exquisite paint craftsmanship and good durability.
  • Realistic alloy model car: The 1:32 interior decoration is realistic, with six doors that can be opened. The steering wheel and seats have simulated designs.
  • Toy car with lights and music: Opening the car door can light up the lights and simulate the sound of an engine starting. It's a toy car that boys like.
  • Companion to Decoration and Cake Decorations: It plays a great decorative role on display cabinets at home and is a great decoration for boys' birthday cake parties.
  • Gift selection for toy cars for boys aged 3-12: This gift is suitable for children aged 3 and above and is a collectible for car enthusiasts.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

What can be concluded—and what remains unproven?

The established account is that Story was killed after a Tesla Model Y struck her and a stopped vehicle on I-17 near Rimrock; she had left a vehicle to help direct traffic after earlier collisions. AP reported DPS’s account that the Tesla driver’s view was obstructed by the sun. Bloomberg’s partial footage, NHTSA’s preliminary inquiry, and the later lawsuit resolution each add context, but none of the information described above establishes that FSD was engaged or that sunlight confused the system and caused the fatal collision.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1
Hot Wheels Tesla Model Y, 1:64 Scale Car, Gray, 37/250
Hot Wheels Tesla Model Y, 1:64 Scale Car, Gray, 37/250
Hot Wheels Tesla Model Y, HW Green Speed 1/10 [Gray] 37/250
$15.99
Bestseller No. 2
gidoyi Toy Car Model X, Pull Back Car Toys Alloy Vehicles with Lights and Sound 1:32 Scale Model Car (White)
gidoyi Toy Car Model X, Pull Back Car Toys Alloy Vehicles with Lights and Sound 1:32 Scale Model Car (White)
Made of zinc alloy with ABS plastic parts; 5.9 inch x 2.2 inch x 1.8 inch(size); The two sides of doors could be opened,front and back covercould be opened too
$20.99
Bestseller No. 3
Matchbox Tesla Model Y, 70 Years 89/100 [White]
Matchbox Tesla Model Y, 70 Years 89/100 [White]
Toy Vehicle Form: Car; Theme: Car
$13.88
Bestseller No. 5

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More from the Garage

  1. Entry001Date09 OCT 26Time3 minWhich Brake Pad Should You Buy From RockAuto or Elsewhere?Section: Blog
  2. Entry002Date09 OCT 26Time5 minThe Pros and Cons of Touchless Car Wash SystemsSection: Blog
  3. Entry003Date09 OCT 26Time3 minCan a Trickle Charger or Battery Tender Properly Charge a Car Battery?Section: Blog

Thanks for visiting Carcody

Carcody.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.co

Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
PC Slower Than It Used to Be?Free scan - under a minute
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?Free driver scan

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.