Federal safety officials are investigating reports of people who were injured in crashes caused by a defective automatic emergency braking system on certain Honda CR-V and Accord vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation after receiving 2,876 complaints about unintended braking certain Honda CR-V and Accord vehicles.
The investigation covers about 3 million Honda CR-V (2017-2022 model years) and Honda Accord vehicles (2018 to 2022 model years).
The unintended braking problem was linked to 47 auto crashes, including 93 people who were injured. No deaths were reported.
The victims complained that the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system activated when there was nothing in the way of the vehicle.
The AEB system uses cameras and radar to detect when a crash is imminent and apply the brakes automatically before the driver has time to react. But if the system is defective, it can actually increase the risk of a crash when the vehicle unexpectedly slams on the brakes.
Earlier in March 2024, the NHTSA also opened a similar investigation into certain Honda Insight and Passport vehicles (2019-2022 model-years). There were 46 complaints about “phantom braking” in which the automatic brakes activated when there was no obstruction.
No recalls have been announced yet. The NHTSA is conducting an engineering analysis, which is a mandatory step before the agency can demand a recall.
Source: US NHTSA upgrades probe into braking issues in 3 mln Honda vehicles