The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has closed its investigation into Tesla's Smart Summon feature after documenting 159 incidents across approximately 2.6 million vehicles. Despite 97 crashes, the regulator found zero injuries and zero fatalities, concluding that Tesla's over-the-air software updates adequately addressed the issues.
Investigation Timeline
The probe, designated PE24033, launched in January 2025 and covered 2016–2025 Model S and X, 2017–2025 Model 3, and 2020–2025 Model Y vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving capability. NHTSA noted that the 159 incidents represented "a fraction of 1%" of millions of Smart Summon sessions.
What Went Wrong
The investigation identified several failure modes. Camera blockages from snow and condensation caused collisions with parked vehicles. The system failed to detect obstructed forward-facing cameras in winter conditions. Smart Summon also struggled with yielding for parking garage gate arms and other low-profile obstacles.
Tesla's OTA Fixes
Tesla deployed six over-the-air software updates during 2025 to address the identified issues:
| Date | Update | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| January 15 | 578998, 579185 | Camera blockage detection |
| January 20 | SW-578752 | Snow/condensation handling |
| January 30 | SW-580322 | Additional weather scenarios |
| February 6 | SW-578839 | Gate perception systems |
| November 20 | SW-580514 | Object detection enhancements |
European Implications
Smart Summon has not been widely available in Europe due to stricter regulations around remote vehicle movement in public spaces. The NHTSA closure may strengthen Tesla's case with European regulators as FSD approval approaches, though EU and national authorities apply their own safety standards independently.
Not a Clean Bill of Health
NHTSA explicitly reserved the right to reopen the investigation based on future developments. The closure reflects "low incident occurrence and low incident severity" rather than a finding that Smart Summon is free of issues. Almost all crashes involved minor property damage, and no vulnerable road users were affected.