NHTSA Probes Tesla's Smart Summon After Multiple Crashes
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated an investigation into approximately 2.6M Tesla vehicles equipped with the Actually Smart Summon feature, which enables remote vehicle movement.
Facts
- The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has initiated an investigation into approximately 2.6M Tesla vehicles equipped with the Actually Smart Summon feature, which enables remote vehicle movement.[1]
- This investigation follows multiple reported incidents where Tesla vehicles operating under Smart Summon failed to detect posts or parked vehicles, resulting in collisions. Users were unable to prevent crashes due to limited line of sight or reaction time.[2]
- This probe encompasses Tesla Models S and X (2016-2025), Model 3 (2017-2025), and Model Y (2020-2025) vehicles equipped with the Full Self-Driving driver assistance system.[2]
- The Smart Summon feature, launched in September, allows users to remotely direct their vehicle to their location or another specified spot using a smartphone application.[2]
- The NHTSA will evaluate the feature's maximum speed, public road usage, line of sight requirements, remote control functionality, connectivity delays, and system performance in unexpected conditions.[2]
- This comes after the NHTSA looked into Tesla's Full Self-Driving feature in October following a fatal accident and three other crashes.[3]
Sources: [1]CNN, [2]One America and [3]USA Today.
Narratives
- Narrative A, as provided by Autoweek and Ars Technica. The Smart Summon feature is obviously a work-in-progress and the company shouldn't be allowing vehicle owners to use it. It's suspicious that Tesla hasn't reported any crashes while social media is filled with examples. Problems stemming from Tesla's reliance on cameras for navigation should concern users of other Tesla features.
- Narrative B, as provided by BBC News. Don't be fooled by some social media posts.The Smart Summon feature represents a significant advancement in autonomous vehicle technology. It's designed specifically for private property use, such as parking lots and driveways. It comes with clear user guidelines and safety protocols in place and, if used responsibly, is completely safe.
