Safety issue
WASHINGTON/BENGALURU - US regulators are looking into parking lot crashes involving Tesla Inc cars driving themselves to their owners using the company's Smart Summon feature, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Wednesday.
Several users have posted videos on social media of Tesla vehicles that appear to have been in near accidents. One posted a video of a Tesla striking a garage wall and another of a Tesla being struck by a vehicle backing up.
A Tesla software update last week added its Smart Summon feature for some customers. When the car is within 200 feet and in their line of sight, they use a phone app to summon the vehicle in a parking lot.
On its website, Tesla’s description of Summon reads: “your parked car will come find you anywhere in a parking lot. Really.”
Asked about reports of crashes, NHTSA said it “is aware of reports related to Tesla’s Summon feature. We are in ongoing contact with the company and we continue to gather information. Safety is NHTSA’s top priority and the agency will not hesitate to act if it finds evidence of a safety-related defect.”
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment. Tesla reported on Wednesday that it delivered 97,000 vehicles in the third quarter, fewer than some analysts had expected.
Tesla says users of Smart Summon should have a clear line of sight and check the surroundings. It said the vehicle “will maneuver around or stop for objects and notify you when detected.”