Tesla (TSLA) Faces NHTSA Investigation Over Unexpected Breaking

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Thursday it is opening a formal investigation into 416,000 Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) 2021-2022 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles over reports of unexpected brake activation tied to its driver-assistance system Autopilot.

This issue is not new in Tesla’s Autopilot. However, there has been an obvious increase in events based on anecdotal evidence, as-well-as an increase in complaints to the NHTSA.

NHTSA wrote in the investigation notice:

“The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 354 complaints alleging unexpected brake activation in 2021-2022 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. Received over the past nine months, the reports have often been characterized as “phantom braking” by consumers. Tesla describes the subject vehicles as equipped with a suite of advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features referred to as Autopilot which Tesla states will allow the vehicle to brake and steer automatically within its lanes.

The complaints allege that while utilizing the ADAS features including adaptive cruise control, the vehicle unexpectedly applies its brakes while driving at highway speeds. Complainants report that the rapid deceleration can occur without warning, at random, and often repeatedly in a single drive cycle.”

This is the fourth formal investigation in the past three years, and NHTSA is supervising 15 Tesla recalls since January of 2021.

By Michael Elkins | [email protected]

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