【】
One key feature of cars is that they can accelerate at high speeds, but only when the owner wants them to. Now, enough Tesla owners have complained about random, unintended acceleration that a federal agency is looking into it.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration opened an investigation of sorts into the matter on Monday. It's based on a petition for investigation, which cited 127 different customer complaints about sudden unintended acceleration in Teslas Model S, X, and 3 manufactured between 2013 and 2019.
CNBC reported that the petition was filed by an investor named Brian Sparks, who was inspired after hearing about one incident in which sudden acceleration resulted in a four-vehicle crash. Those 127 complaints involved 123 different vehicles, with the alleged sudden acceleration resulting in 52 injuries from 110 crashes. The NHTSA will open a real, formal investigation into the matter if it decides it's necessary.
Mathematically speaking, it might be tough for the NHTSA to prove this is a widespread epidemic. You don't have to look far in the agency's complaints database to find acceleration accusations against Tesla models, but about 500,000 cars fit into the scope of the petition's requested investigation. Obviously, 123 defective vehicles is only a fraction of that number.
The NHTSA also gave high safety ratings to some of the Tesla models in question. The agnecy investigated car manufacturers for similar issues in the past, including Toyota a decade ago. After an investigation carried out in cooperation with NASA, the two agencies found that pedal misapplication, rather than mechanical defects, could explain many instances of sudden acceleration.
In other words, the drivers were apparently to blame, even if they didn't know it. Whether or not that explains the Tesla issues remains to be seen. If this turns out to be Tesla's fault on a wide scale, the NHTSA has the authority to issue recalls. That would probably not please Elon Musk.
TopicsTeslaElon Musk
相关文章
- With the Pokémon Go fever still shaking half the world, there's bound to be plenty of trainer2024-09-20
Lady Gaga wins her first Oscar for 'Shallow'
Lady Gaga is an Academy Award winner, folks.The best song of the year, "Shallow" from A Star Is Born2024-09-20Not nice: Trump just ruined 69 jokes
Rest in peace, 69 jokes.It brings me no pleasure to report that President Donald Trump included "69"2024-09-20A survival guide for being a woman on the internet
This piece is part of an ongoing series exploring what it means to bea woman on the internet.Once up2024-09-20Tributes flow after death of former Singapore president S.R. Nathan
The Singaporean government has announced that former president, 92-year-old Sellapan Ramanathan (wid2024-09-20Pantone's 2019 color of the year isn't just a pretty pink
Pantone announced its 2019 color of the year on Wednesday and it's "Living Coral."Following last yea2024-09-20
最新评论