The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has requested more information from Tesla as the agency continues their probe of “phantom braking.”
In February the NHTSA launched an investigation into the alleged issue after receiving 354 complaints from owners about their vehicles braking unexpectedly while using Autopilot.
Since launching the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), which covers an estimated 416,000 2021-2022 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, the agency says the number of complaints have increased to 758.
As a result, the NHTSA is asking Tesla for more information relating to any complaints or lawsuits related to the alleged issue. The agency also wants to know if Tesla is aware of any crashes, injuries, or deaths from “phantom braking.”
In a letter sent to Tesla’s Director, Field Quality Eddie Gates dated May 4, the NHTSA is also seeking any assessments, tests, studies, simulations or similar actions that have been conducted by, or for, the automaker as it relates to the alleged issue, and if there have been any hardware and software modifications made to the vehicles covered under the investigation since the start of production. (via Automotive News)
Tesla will have until June 20, 2022 to respond to the request, or face up to $115 million in civil penalties.
This isn’t the only investigation into Tesla currently underway by the NHTSA. The agency is also looking into a number of crashes of Tesla vehicles into parked emergency vehicles, and is seeking more information regarding a Model Y fire in Vancouver.
NHTSA asks Tesla for information on Model Y fire in Vancouver
