The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into the 2021 and 2022 Tesla Model 3 sedan and Tesla Model Y SUV because of reports of phantom braking.
Some concerning reports indicate that the vehicles could unexpectedly brake while in motion. According to Consumer Reports, this is a phenomenon known as “phantom braking” when Autopilot or other active driver assistance systems are engaged.
Details of the Tesla Phantom Braking Investigation
NHTSA has received 354 phantom braking complaints from drivers who say their Tesla vehicles applied brakes without warning at highway speeds with ADAS features turned on, including adaptive cruise control and Autopilot. NHTSA says it hasn’t heard of any crashes or injuries related to this problem. About 416,000 vehicles are included in this investigation.
Tesla issued a recall to address a similar problem in November 2021, which was caused by a communication error introduced during an October software update. As of Nov. 12, 2021, Tesla informed NHTSA that all of these vehicles had received another software update that addressed the earlier phantom braking issue. During the course of an auto defect investigation, NHTSA gets information from the automaker, which could also present arguments related to the potential car defect
. Sometimes, the defect investigation requires further analysis.
A recall occurs when either the automaker or NHTSA discovers a safety defect that must be corrected or discovers that a vehicle fails to meet federal safety standards. Consumers often bring these defects to NHTSA’s attention. According to NHTSA, most recalls are initiated by automakers without involvement or intervention from the agency.
Owners Describe Experience as ‘Scary’
The Washington Post reported that it spoke to Tesla owners who’ve experienced phantom braking for months. They describe the problem as “scary” and “serious” to The Post via emails with several owners saying they can’t and won’t use Tesla cruise control features in light of these problems. One owner in Pennsylvania told The Post that repeated phantom braking forced him to stop using cruise control altogether on his monthly drives to Philadelphia on Interstate 76. He said the phantom braking had occurred about eight times since he bought his Tesla Model Y in June 2021, lurching his car from around 70 mph to 40 mph with no visible hazard nearby.
These are definitely serious and scary issues, and we hope NHTSA presses on with the investigation and orders a recall if warranted. If you or a loved one has been injured due to these or other auto defects, please get in touch with an experienced auto defect lawyer to obtain more information about pursuing your legal rights.
Source: https://www.consumerreports.org/car-recalls-defects/federal-regulators-investigate-tesla-phantom-braking-reports-a8192278281/
