US auto safety regulators have launched an investigation into Tesla following hundreds of complaints about 'phantom braking' in its Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it received 354 complaints over the past nine months, with the probe covering an estimated 416,000 vehicles from the 2021 and 2022 model years.
The vehicles are equipped with partially automated driver-assist features, including adaptive cruise control and Autopilot, which can automatically brake and steer. Documents posted by NHTSA on Thursday state that the cars can unexpectedly brake at highway speeds, with complainants reporting rapid deceleration occurring without warning, often repeatedly during a single drive.
Many owners expressed fears of rear-end collisions on freeways. One complaint from a Tesla owner in Austin, Texas, described a Model Y on Autopilot braking repeatedly for no reason on two-lane roads and freeways, varying from minor throttle response to full emergency braking, creating unsafe conditions.
This is the fourth formal investigation of Tesla in three years, and NHTSA is overseeing 15 Tesla recalls since January 2021. The agency has also investigated at least 33 crashes involving Teslas using driver-assist systems since 2016, in which 11 people died. Michael Brooks, acting executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, criticised Tesla's approach, saying the company releases untested software onto US roads.
