US Government Upgrades Probe Into Braking Issues in 3 Million Honda Vehicles

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, the government body tasked with vehicle safety), said the automated emergency braking systems of almost 3 million Honda Motor vehicles have been activated without warning. NHTSA also said it has advanced its investigation to an engineering examination.

An engineering analysis is a mandatory requirement before the auto safety regulator can potentially demand a recall. The probe includes the Japanese automaker's popular Accord sedans and CR-V crossover SUVs.

In addition to reports of 93 injury incidences and 47 crashes involving Honda vehicles with unique vehicle identifying numbers that may be connected to the problem, the NHTSA stated that it has received 2,876 consumer complaints.

The regulator had opened a preliminary evaluation into about 1.7 million Honda vehicles in February 2022 to assess claims that the automatic emergency braking system activated with no apparent obstruction in the vehicle's path.

The NHTSA has extended its investigation to encompass versions of the Honda CR-V and Accord from 2020 to 2022, even though the first assessment only looked at vehicles from the 2017–2019 and 2018–2019 model years.

In an email, Honda informed Reuters that it will carry on assisting with the inquiry.

When an accident is determined to be unavoidable, Honda's Autonomous Emergency Braking system uses a radar and camera to provide intense braking pressure. However, it first provides drivers with visual and auditory alerts before activating.