# The latest NHTSA investigation into Tesla

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/the-latest-nhtsa-investigation-into-tesla/182549>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Tags:** tesla\
**Created:** [February 17, 2022, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/the-latest-nhtsa-investigation-into-tesla/182549 "2022-02-17T16:42:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2022, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/the-latest-nhtsa-investigation-into-tesla/182549/1 "2022-02-17T16:42:45Z")

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… has to do with “phantom braking”. Elon Musk is keeping NHTSA’s staff very busy.

> **[Tesla’s "phantom braking" problem is now being investigated by the US government](https://www.theverge.com/2022/2/17/22938944/tesla-phantom-braking-nhtsa-investigation-defect)**
>
> The government has received hundreds of complaints.

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**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2022, 5:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/the-latest-nhtsa-investigation-into-tesla/182549/2 "2022-02-17T17:00:07Z")

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Somebody has to keep them sharp!

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**Author:** ![tcmichnorth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tcmichnorth/32/25126_2.png) [@tcmichnorth](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tcmichnorth)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2022, 6:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/the-latest-nhtsa-investigation-into-tesla/182549/3 "2022-02-17T18:32:17Z")

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My son a truck driver had a tractor that had brake assist. On a sunny day the truck saw a shadow from overpasses and it thought it was an object and auto braked often. He was extremely irritated by this. I wonder if this is similar to this phantom braking.

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2022, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/the-latest-nhtsa-investigation-into-tesla/182549/4 "2022-02-17T19:46:15Z")

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Speaking of Tesla, here’s another reason I won’t be buying: a steering ‘yoke’ instead of a wheel:  
[Consumer Reports Dropped Tesla’s Ranking Because Of The Yoke (jalopnik.com)](https://jalopnik.com/consumer-reports-dropped-tesla-in-its-rankings-and-its-1848555941)

 ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/7/17d25125dc349259f72c2935a33558dd25f50a2b.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2022, 7:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/the-latest-nhtsa-investigation-into-tesla/182549/5 "2022-02-17T19:46:39Z")

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That is the same problem that has been reported by quite a few owners of Nissan Rogues. IIRC, the Rogue’s system interprets snowbanks on the side of the road as roadway obstacles.

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**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2022, 7:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/the-latest-nhtsa-investigation-into-tesla/182549/6 "2022-02-17T19:53:12Z")

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I’ll take my vehicles without any automated nanny “helpers”, please…

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**Author:** ![Scrapyard-John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Scrapyard-John](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Scrapyard-John)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2022, 8:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/the-latest-nhtsa-investigation-into-tesla/182549/7 "2022-02-17T20:33:09Z")

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That view of the interior with the purplish, pinkish trim on the steering “yoke” looks very 1990’s to me, minus the infotainment screen.

Maybe it’s just the picture and that trim is silver, though

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2022, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/the-latest-nhtsa-investigation-into-tesla/182549/8 "2022-02-17T21:26:19Z")

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> [@texases](#):
>
> Speaking of Tesla, here’s another reason I won’t be buying: a steering ‘yoke’ instead of a wheel:

Am I the only one who recalls Ford’s “Wrist Twist” steering concept from the mid-late '60s?  
Luckily, it never got beyond the prototype stage.  
Just imagine trying to steer one of the land barges of that era with these tiny steering wheels if your power steering belt broke!

[![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/d/f/df7fdecb88bb21a2eba04ee17bd6a4cf023c1a84.jpeg "The wacky way we almost drove | Fails of Future Past") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fc7eUtsSO6Y)

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2022, 9:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/the-latest-nhtsa-investigation-into-tesla/182549/9 "2022-02-17T21:34:42Z")

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I remember. Someone should tell Musk that a yoke only works well when you don’t take your hands off, not like a steering wheel at all.

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**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2022, 9:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/the-latest-nhtsa-investigation-into-tesla/182549/10 "2022-02-17T21:37:24Z")

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In a few years he will probably come out with a Joystick for the younger generation. LOL

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**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2022, 9:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/the-latest-nhtsa-investigation-into-tesla/182549/11 "2022-02-17T21:44:26Z")

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The driver has an unimpeded view of the dashboard. Still, I’d rather have the added control of a full rim on the steering wheel.

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**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2022, 9:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/the-latest-nhtsa-investigation-into-tesla/182549/12 "2022-02-17T21:52:59Z")

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The article indicates that the unexpected braking started after they eliminated the forward radar sensors. It might turn out that this is a time when a money saving measure (eliminate radar) ends up costing the company a lot more than including the higher priced radar sensors.
