(Reuters) -The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Tuesday it had opened a probe into about 2.6 million Tesla (NASDAQ:) vehicles after reports of some crashes linked to its “Actually Smart Summon” driverless feature.
The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation said it had received one complaint alleging a crash when the feature was being used and had reviewed at least three media reports of similar crashes linked to it.
The Tesla vehicles involved in the crash failed to detect posts or parked vehicles when they were operating on Actually Smart Summon, the regulator said.
“The ODI is aware of multiple crash allegations, involving both Smart Summon and Actually Smart Summon, where the user had too little reaction time to avoid a crash, either with the available line of sight or releasing the phone app button, which stops the vehicle’s movement,” it added.
Actually Smart Summon was launched in September and allows users to allows users to remotely move their vehicle towards them or another location using a smartphone application.
The predecessor to the feature, now called Dumb Summon, allowed users to move their car forward or backward into or out of a parking spot.
The NHTSA said it will assess Actually Smart Summon’s maximum speed, use on public roads and line of sight requirements. The probe will also cover remote control through phone app, connectivity delay impacts and the system’s performance in unanticipated conditions.
Tesla, whose stock was down 1.6% in trading before the bell, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is the traffic safety regulator’s second major probe on Tesla in about four months involving its automated driving features.
The regulator in October opened an investigation into 2.4 million Tesla vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving (FSD) software after four reported collisions, including a 2023 fatal crash.
The heightened scrutiny of the advanced driver assistance system comes as CEO Elon Musk looks to pivot towards self-driving technology and robotaxis.
