Drivers remain wary about cars becoming increasingly automated and the latest investigation by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration won’t alleviate their concerns.
According to the Associated Press, the NHTSA has launched an investigation into the automatic emergency braking system on 2017 and 2018 Nissan Rogue crossovers. While the system is designed to apply the brakes if a collision is imminent, it appears the system could get a false positive and slam on the brakes for no apparent reason.
This is obviously pretty dangerous and the issue appears to have been responsible for 14 different crashes that caused five injuries. Needless to say, a safety system that causes crashes and injuries is a huge deal.
Also Read: Nissan Launches 2020 Rogue, Priced From $25,200
The investigation appears to be in the early stages, but the government says Nissan and the NHTSA have already received complaints from 843 owners. Nissan has issued a technical service bulletin and two customer service actions related to the issue and the company is trying to determine what causes the problem and how often it occurs. Once more information is available, a recall could be initiated.
In a statement, Nissan said Rogue owners can have a software update installed that improves the performance of the automatic braking system. However, that’s not a guaranteed fix as the automaker said the system could be activated by “unique road conditions such as railroad crossings, bridges and low-hanging traffic lights.”
The investigation was launched in response to a petition from the Center for Auto Safety which welcomed today’s news. However, the group’s executive director, Jason Levine, said the investigation “should not delay Nissan taking more seriously the danger the phantom braking defect presents for everyone on the road.” He added, “This issue deserves a recall and all Nissan owners must receive a working, permanent remedy as soon as possible.”
