The federal government’s top auto safety regulator has opened a preliminary investigation into the sudden braking of Tesla cars equipped...
The federal government’s top auto safety regulator has opened a preliminary investigation into the sudden braking of Tesla cars equipped with an advanced driver assistance system the company calls Autopilot.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a document posted online this week that it was acting in response to 354 consumer complaints from the past nine months about “phantom braking” – when Teslas brake unexpectedly when there is no danger on the road.
The investigation focuses on Tesla Model 3 compact sedans and Model Y sedans that were manufactured in 2021 and 2022 and sold in the United States. The agency said this covers around 416,000 cars. The preliminary investigation aims to determine the extent and seriousness of the problem.
Complaints claim the vehicle “apply its brakes unexpectedly while traveling at highway speeds,” the safety agency wrote in a summary of the investigation. “Complainants report that rapid deceleration can occur without warning, randomly, and often repeatedly.”
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.
The investigation is the latest security issue Tesla has faced. Separately this year, Tesla recalled 54,000 cars equipped with its Full Self-Driving software to disable a feature that, under certain conditions, allows vehicles to drive slowly through intersections without stopping. Failing to stop at a stop sign can increase the risk of a crash, the safety agency told Tesla in a letter.
The agency too opened a formal investigation last year into Autopilot and how it identifies objects and other vehicles on the road. This investigation was prompted by 11 incidents in which Teslas operating on autopilot failed to stop and crashed into police cars, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles with flashing lights. turned on.
In recent months, Tesla has recalled 12,000 cars to fix a brake issue and recalled 458,000 more for two separate mechanical faults. He also agreed to turn off a feature that allowed drivers or front passengers to play video games on the dashboard touchscreen while the car was in motion. The problem had been highlighted in the New York Times and the security agency had pressed the company to fix it.
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