Technology
US Regulators Reject Petition to Recall Tesla EVs Over Acceleration Concerns
US regulators have rejected a petition seeking a recall of Tesla electric vehicles due to concerns about sudden unintended acceleration. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that it would not order Tesla to recall every EV manufactured since 2013.
The inquiry into Tesla's one-pedal driving system and potential sudden acceleration issues has deepened this week. Since Tesla began selling electric vehicles, there have been accusations of parked cars accelerating unexpectedly. The central question for regulators has been whether such incidents stem from human error or engineering flaws. Some engineers have petitioned the NHTSA to mandate a recall, believing they have identified the cause. Typically, these efforts have been unsuccessful.
Key Facts
- The NHTSA will not require Tesla to recall all EVs built since 2013.
- Electric vehicles use regenerative braking to recover energy when slowing down.
- Some EVs use a brake-by-wire system to blend friction brakes with regenerative braking.
- Tesla and other EVs use lift-off regenerative braking, which activates when the driver releases the accelerator pedal.
- One-pedal driving involves programming the car to stop completely when the accelerator is released.
- The inquiry examined whether sudden acceleration incidents were due to human error or engineering problems.
Primary Source
Research Sources
- Ars Technica — Feds say no need to recall Tesla's one-pedal driving despite petition