U.S. auto safety regulators have concluded their investigation into Tesla’s “Actually Smart Summon” remote parking feature, determining that crashes associated with it were infrequent, low-speed, and non-severe.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated that the closure of this investigation doesn’t imply the absence of a safety-related defect and that the inquiry might be reopened if necessary.
Introduced through a software update in September 2024, the remote parking feature allows Tesla owners to use an app to summon their vehicle at low speeds, relying solely on the car’s cameras. This release marked a shift from the previous Smart Summon, which also utilized ultrasonic sensors, now absent in newer Tesla models.
The investigation originated in January 2025 after numerous reports of crashes involving “Actually Smart Summon.” Findings revealed that out of millions of these sessions, incidents were exceedingly rare, typically involving minor damage such as striking gates or parked vehicles.
There were no reports of incidents involving vulnerable road users, injury, fatalities, or significant property damage that warranted airbag deployment or vehicle towing.
The investigation identified that crashes often resulted from either user error or the system failing to detect obstacles due to limited camera visibility. Snow blocking the camera, which was not detected by the system, contributed to some incidents.
NHTSA noted that Tesla has released several software updates enhancing camera blockage and object recognition capabilities.