NHTSA Opens Preliminary Probe Into comma.ai After Five Crashes

Has NHTSA ordered a recall of comma.ai devices?

No. PE26007 is a Preliminary Evaluation, and NHTSA has not announced a recall or made a final finding that comma.ai's products contain a safety defect.

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What safety issue is NHTSA investigating?

NHTSA is examining crashes in which vehicles equipped with comma.ai devices reportedly struck stopped or slow-moving vehicles in the same lane. The agency has confirmed the systems were powered on or engaged in multiple crashes, but not necessarily all five.

Why does the investigation matter for comma.ai?

NHTSA is evaluating the performance and safeguards of comma.ai's aftermarket driver-assistance products, so an adverse defect finding could require corrective changes or a recall. No such action has been ordered.

Do the five crashes all involve stock openpilot?

Not necessarily. NHTSA says it will examine crashes involving modified openpilot forks and their shared components, while TechCrunch reported that one fatal Louisiana crash involved the third-party FrogPilot fork.

What does comma.ai say about this failure mode?

Comma.ai's support materials say openpilot Adaptive Cruise Control can be affected by vehicles in the same lane that are not moving and that the system limits the amount of deceleration it can produce when abrupt braking is required.

What happens next in the NHTSA investigation?

NHTSA plans to obtain data to verify system status in each incident and evaluate system performance and safeguards. The agency says it works to complete Preliminary Evaluations within eight months.