‘Actually Smart Summon’ phone app linked to crashes, says regulator
WASHINGTON – The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Tuesday it had opened an investigation into about 2.6 million Tesla vehicles after reports of some crashes linked to its “Actually Smart Summon” driverless feature.
The agency’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) 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.
All crashes involve the Tesla vehicles operating in Actually Smart Summon, and they failed to detect posts or parked vehicles, resulting in crashes, 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, a feature introduced late last year, allows users to remotely move their vehicle towards them or another location using a smartphone application.
This is the traffic safety regulator’s second major investigation of 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 fatal crash in 2023.
The heightened scrutiny of the advanced driver assistance system comes as Tesla CEO Elon Musk touts a move towards even more self-driving technology and robotaxis.
It also follows Musk’s investment of at least $200 million in helping to get Donald Trump elected as US president. Critics have flagged the risk of serious conflicts of interest related to Musk’s businesses.