"Front Seat Seatbelt Loose While Driving"... US Authorities Launch Investigation into Tesla

Survey of 50,000 ModelX Units

The U.S. transportation safety authorities have launched an investigation into a defect in Tesla vehicles where the seatbelt loosens while driving.

According to major foreign media on the 28th (local time), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is conducting an investigation targeting 50,000 Tesla Model X vehicles from the 2022-2023 model years.

NHTSA stated that it received two reports indicating that Tesla's front seat seatbelts are not sufficiently safe to prevent impact during a collision.

According to the reports, when force was applied to the vehicle's seatbelt, the belt connector and pretensioner detached from the seat frame. The pretensioner is a safety device that pulls the belt backward from the outlet side where the belt comes out during a vehicle collision. However, NHTSA clarified that neither of the two reports was related to a collision accident.

NHTSA plans to investigate Tesla's production process and defect occurrence rate. A recall order may be issued after the investigation. Currently, Tesla is also under investigation for its driving assistance system, 'Autopilot.'

[Image source=Yonhap News]

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