Tesla owners report ‘phantom braking’ as cars dangerously stop at high speeds

One owner describes their car suddenly braking at 50mph ‘in the middle of my lane’ when the car detected a lorry

(Getty Images)

Tesla owners are reportedly experiencing ‘phantom braking’ that has the cars slamming their brake in response to hazards that are not there.

Owners reported phantom braking to the United States’ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 107 times in the past three months, compared to only 34 times in the preceding 22 months, according to a Washington Post analysis.

Tesla cars have eight cameras around them to provide 360 degrees of visibility, up to 250 meters. There are also 12 ultrasonic detectors so the car can keep track of objects.

The reports seem to coincide at a time when Tesla stopped using radar information to help the cameras in May 2021 as part of a transition towards a new system called “Tesla Vision”.

Those who filed complains describe the cars being overly sensitive after the update. One said that the car rapidly stopped from a 50mph speed “in the middle of my lane” in response to a lorry.

“NHTSA is aware of complaints received about forward collision avoidance and is reviewing them through our risk-based evaluation process,” spokeswoman Lucia Sanchez told the Washington Post. The agency does not verify complaints themselves, instead relying on owners’ descriptions and vehicle identification number.

“This process includes discussions with the manufacturer, as well as reviewing additional data sources, including Early Warning Reporting data. If the data show that a risk may exist, NHTSA will act immediately”, she continued.

Tesla, which shut down its public relations department in 2020, did not respond to a request for comment from The Independent.

The news coincides with Tesla recalling 54,000 cars because its “Full Self Driving” software does not fully stop at stop signs.

The “rolling stop” feature let the Teslas go through all-way stop signs if they are travelling at 5.6mph and there are no “relevant” moving cars, pedestrians, or bicycles.

While no injuries have yet been reported, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that failing to stop at a sign increases the risk of a crash.

“The Vehicle Safety Act prohibits manufacturers from selling vehicles with defects posing unreasonable risks to safety, including intentional design choices that are unsafe,” the agency said in a statement. “If the information shows that a safety risk may exist, NHTSA will act immediately.”