More than 750 Tesla vehicle owners have filed complaints with the US safety regulator for sudden stops on the road for no apparent reason in cars with partially automated steering systems.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Friday released a number of complaints in a letter requesting information from the vehicle manufacturer.
In a 14-page document dated May 4, Tesla is asking for all customer reports of “phantom” braking, as well as reports of accidents, injuries, deaths, and property damage claims.
The regulator also questioned whether the full self-driving and automatic emergency braking systems were active during any of these incidents.
The agency began investigating ghost braking on Tesla Models 3 and Y in February after receiving 354 complaints regarding about 416,000 vehicles in 2021 and 2022. At the time, the agency said it had no reports of accidents or injuries.
The announcement from the Elon Musk-founded company gives a June 20 deadline for fulfilling the request for information, although it mentions that Tesla may ask for an extension.
Shares of Tesla Inc. fell more than 9% on Friday and the company did not respond to requests for comment from the Associated Press (AP).
The agency explained that the investigation involved vehicles equipped with automated driver assistance features such as adapted cruise control and “autopilot” that allow them to automatically brake and steer into lane.
“Complaints indicate that rapid decelerations can occur without warning and often repeatedly during the same driving cycle,” the regulator added.
This is the Texas manufacturer’s fourth official investigation in three years, and the NHTSA is monitoring 23 recalls. [chamadas dos veículos à fábrica] Tesla since January 2021.
The agency is also investigating complaints about automatic emergency braking systems on more than 1.7 million Honda vehicles that can stop cars for no reason.
In addition, the NHTSA is conducting a broader accident investigation involving partially automated driving systems from all manufacturers.
Fifteen people have died in accidents under investigation by the NHTSA and at least 15 others have been injured. According to agency documents, 14 of the fatalities occurred in crashes involving Tesla.
