A recently published video of a fatal crash in 2023 has thrust Tesla back into the spotlight amid the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's investigation into whether the automaker's Full-Self Driving system (which requires human supervision) is flawed.
The inquiry is ongoing as Tesla plans to roll out its autonomous robotaxis in Austin, Texas, this month, according to Bloomberg, which released the footage.
What's happening?
In November 2023, a Tesla Model Y swerved into 71-year-old grandmother Johna Story at 65 mph after Johna had exited the front passenger-side door of a Toyota 4Runner, which had come to a stop along with other vehicles as members of her group, including Johna, donned orange reflective safety vests and assisted with a crash just after a curve on Interstate 17.
Johna died, and her family has sued the Model Y's driver, Karl Stock, and Tesla, who both did not respond to Bloomberg's request for comment.
The crash report doesn't specify whether Stock was using the FSD system or tried to take control of his Model Y before the collision. However, NHTSA data shows that Tesla reported the crash to regulators seven months later in accordance with a standing general order that requires automakers to report crashes with engaged driver-assistance systems.
Why is this important?
The crash raised alarm bells anew as Tesla prepared to launch its driverless robotaxis June 12 because it is part of a series of collisions involving FSD technology that happened within months, as Bloomberg detailed. All four crashes occurred when conditions such as sun glare, fog, or dust reduced roadway visibility.
While having more EVs — self-driven or not — on the road would be a positive development from a public health and environmental perspective, given that they don't spew heat-trapping pollution linked to respiratory conditions and heart disease, critics worry Tesla is sacrificing public safety in the name of progress.
In October, a day after the NHTSA opened the defect investigation, Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote on the social media platform X that "Washington DC has become an ever-increasing ocean of brake pedals." A week later, he expressed a desire for federal regulations to take precedence over state-specific rules in regards to the deployment of autonomous vehicles.
Lawyer and engineer Bryant Walker Smith, who advises local and national governments on emerging transportation technologies, welcomes exciting innovations such as autonomous vehicles — which Tesla is all-in on as a key part of the company's future. However, he told Bloomberg he had serious doubts about whether the automaker was ready to launch its driverless cars.
"They are claiming they will be imminently able to do something — true automated driving — that all evidence suggests they still can't do safely," he said.
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For sure 👍 How could this impact progress in the EV market?
Tesla's sales have lagged in 2025, and its stock remains volatile. Musk's polarizing work as the de facto head of the Department of Government Efficiency and his public disputes, including with President Donald Trump, have contributed to the situation, making the brand seem political or unreliable in the eyes of many consumers and investors.
Yet the EV market overall remains robust. According to Cox Automotive's Kelley Blue Book, EV sales in the United States grew by 11.4% year over year in the first quarter. Globally, that figure was 35%, as the International Energy Agency noted.
It's not hard to see why. Beyond the cleaner drive, EVs are generally more cost-effective to own and operate, saving drivers around $1,500 each year on maintenance and fuel.
As for self-driving EVs, Tesla competitor Waymo, which completes a quarter of a million self-driving rides each week, is demonstrating that progress and safety can go hand in hand.
Company data, which "undergoes consistent updates aligned with NHTSA's Standing General Order reporting timelines," per Waymo, reveals more than an 80% drop in both airbag-deployment crashes and injury-causing crashes in San Francisco and Phoenix compared to an average human driver going the same distance.
As Bloomberg noted, Waymo EVs use a variety of sensors — 24 in total — to visualize their surroundings. On the other hand, Tesla relies on one type of sensor and has eight on each EV.
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