NHTSA seeks more info from Tesla in ‘phantom braking’ safety probe

WASHINGTON — The nation’s major automobile security regulator is requesting more details from Tesla Inc. to help its investigation of specific Product 3 and Design Y motor vehicles equipped with Autopilot soon after stories alleging “phantom braking.”

NHTSA’s ask for comes right after the agency in February opened the investigation into an believed 416,000 Model 3 and Product Y cars from the 2021-22 product yrs following receiving 354 issues of sudden braking whilst utilizing Autopilot’s driver-guide functions.

In a letter despatched Could 4 to Eddie Gates, Tesla’s director of industry top quality, NHTSA stated the number of stories of unpredicted brake activation in all those motor vehicles experienced amplified to 758.

The company is now in search of further more specifics from Tesla, which includes any complaints or lawsuits linked to the alleged defect as effectively as studies involving a crash, injuries or death.

Tesla has until June 20 to reply, or it could face civil penalties of up to almost $115 million.

In accordance to the letter, posted Friday, NHTSA is asking Tesla to describe any assessments, assessments, experiments, simulations or identical steps that have been executed by, or for, the automaker as it relates to the alleged defect. The agency also would like to know what hardware and software package modifications have been built to the influenced vehicles due to the fact the begin of production.

Other requests contain a detailed description of the program structure and procedure, together with all associated sensor technologies, as effectively as Tesla’s assessment of the alleged defect, situations that might consequence in unpredicted brake activation and related safety threats.

Tesla, which disbanded its media relations department, did not promptly react to a request for comment.

The electric vehicle maker has ongoing to face bigger regulatory scrutiny below the Biden administration.

Last calendar year, NHTSA opened an investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot system just after a collection of crashes involving its styles and unexpected emergency automobiles. The ongoing probe addresses an believed 765,000 Teslas from the 2014-21 product yrs. Most of the crashes transpired immediately after dark and in full resulted in 17 injuries and 1 loss of life.