U.S. Regulator Expands Probe of Honda Vehicles Due to Automatic Braking Issues
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on Monday that it is expanding and upgrading its investigation into a reported issue with the automatic emergency braking system on certain Honda vehicles. The investigation affects approximately 295,125 vehicles, including the 2019-2022 models of the Honda Insight hybrid electric car and the 2019-2023 models of the Honda Passport SUV.
According to the NHTSA, the issue involves the automatic emergency braking system triggering inadvertently, which can increase the risk of a collision due to rapid deceleration. The agency received 106 complaints, including three crashes and two injuries, before upgrading the investigation from a defect investigation to an engineering analysis. An engineering analysis is a necessary step before the NHTSA can demand a recall.
Honda provided an analysis of the issue, stating that some customers may have had an inadequate understanding of the braking system and its limitations. The agency’s report stated that the office of defects investigation received 106 complaints, which included reports of three crashes and two injuries.
The NHTSA is required to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the extent of the problem and whether it poses a significant risk to consumers. If a recall is ultimately deemed necessary, Honda will be required to take corrective action to address the issue.