The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into Tesla’s “Actually Smart Summon” driverless technology, following numerous accidents linked to the feature. The probe comes after at least four crashes were reported involving the technology, which allows drivers to summon parked cars without being in the vehicle using their phones.
Tesla’s Actually Smart Summon mode is available on nearly 2.6 million vehicles made since 2016, including the Model S, Model 3, and Model X/Y SUVs. The feature was released in September and has been linked to incidents where the technology failed to detect posts or parked cars.
While none of the accidents led to injuries, NHTSA is investigating whether the technology poses a risk to public safety. The probe will examine issues such as vehicle speed restrictions on public roads and how the feature should be restricted from use in areas without clear lines of sight.
Tesla’s manual advises drivers to use Actually Smart Summon only in private, familiar areas like driveways, with a clear line of sight between the driver and car. However, NHTSA is taking steps to ensure that the technology is used responsibly and safely.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1elw2qppxvo