The US government is investigating reports of Tesla brand vehicles braking unexpectedly on highways, which have already caused several accidents. The so-called phantom braking problem is being analyzed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an entity in charge of ensuring safety on the country’s land routes.
In the last nine months alone, the body has received up to 354 complaints related to phantom braking mishaps, and the ongoing investigation will extend to approximately 416,000 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles from 2021-22.
Cars that brake on their own, for no apparent reason and without being ordered to do so
Drivers say that the problem occurs only when using the Autopilot driver assistance system. This feature gives the vehicle full control over some braking and steering elements when driving, although of course it is not a substitute for a human driver.
Despite the name, Tesla advises drivers to remain vigilant and monitor their vehicle, noting that the Autopilot ADAS system does not make the vehicle fully autonomous.
It is not the first failure of Tesla that causes incidents
However, Tesla is currently being investigated by the NHTSA for two other matters. In December 2021, it disabled its Passenger Play feature that allowed games to be played on its touch screen while the car is in motion, leading to an open investigation affecting approximately 580,000 vehicles worldwide.
And last August, the NHTSA began investigating Autopilot’s role in 11 crashes involving emergency vehicles, in which an estimated 765,000 Tesla cars may be affected. NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation has begun a preliminary assessment of Tesla into the incidents, which have caused some deaths and several injuries. This is the stage before the agency can officially request a recall of the affected vehicles.
The complaints allege that while using ADAS features, including adaptive cruise control, the vehicle unexpectedly applies the brakes while driving at highway speeds. Complainants report that rapid deceleration can occur without warning, randomly, and often repeatedly in a single ride.
ODI is opening a preliminary assessment to determine the scope and severity of the potential issue and to fully assess potential security-related issues. The NHTSA has made customer complaints publicly available on its website, so consumers can check whether their Tesla vehicles are completely safe.
In a complaint received on February 11 of this year, a driver wrote: “Severe braking occurs for no apparent reason and without warning, causing several near misses from rear-end collisions. This problem has occurred dozens of times during the months that I have the car.
