WASHINGTON – The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced it has wrapped up an investigation into approximately 2.6 million Tesla vehicles. This inquiry focused on a feature that allows users to operate their cars remotely, which was associated only with low-speed incidents.
The investigation was initiated in early 2025 following reports of crashes involving the “Actually Smart Summon” feature. This system enables drivers to maneuver their vehicles over short distances in garages or parking lots using a smartphone application.
Ultimately, the agency determined that this feature was primarily associated with low-speed collisions, mainly resulting in minor property damage. Although around 100 crashes were reported, no injuries or fatalities occurred.
Most of these incidents involved vehicles colliding with stationary objects like other parked cars, garage doors, or gates, particularly during the initial moments of using the Summon feature when visibility might be compromised.
Furthermore, the agency noted there were no cases that involved serious accidents, airbag deployments, or vehicles being towed. Given the low occurrence and severity of these incidents, NHTSA decided against any further action.
Tesla has responded to potential issues by rolling out several software updates aimed at enhancing obstacle detection, identifying camera blockages, and improving vehicle responsiveness to moving objects like gates. These updates also addressed errors driven by environmental conditions such as snow or condensation affecting cameras.
Last month, NHTSA escalated a separate probe concerning Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system to an “engineering analysis.” This deeper investigation, which usually signals the possibility of a recall, involves around 3.2 million cars.
The safety agency continues to examine Tesla’s driver-assistance and self-driving features due to ongoing concerns about crashes, visibility challenges, and whether the systems reliably warn drivers under practical conditions.
Earlier in October, NHTSA opened a separate investigation into 2.9 million vehicles equipped with the Full Self-Driving system, based on over 50 reports about traffic safety violations and a number of crashes. The agency indicated that the Full Self-Driving system has led to vehicle behaviors that contravene traffic laws, and discussions have taken place between NHTSA and Tesla about these matters.
