NHTSA is looking into Tesla's sudden braking issue
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) is probing Tesla for its “phantom braking” issue, which has raised numerous concerns amongst drivers. The agency is requesting the automaker respond by June 20.
The NHTSA has received 758 reports on the phantom braking issue, according to Reuters. A report from the NHTSA back in February stated, “complainants report that the rapid deceleration can occur without warning, at random, and often repeatedly in a single drive cycle.”
“Phantom braking” is when Autopilot is engaged and the vehicle slows down suddenly. The issue is particularly concerning on freeways where there may be little to no time for other drivers to react safely. It has raised concern for the drivers because it’s unpredictable.
The issue has become worse since May 2021 when Tesla started producing some vehicles without radar. Vehicles without radar or those that have transitioned to Tesla Vision rely solely on cameras for Autosteer and TACC.
The phantom braking issues have been around for several years. The issues started when Teslas were having accidents with tractor trailers crossing in front of them. Additionally, it happens more frequently at underpasses or when there are shadows on the road, which can be mistaken for the side of a truck.
This probe into Tesla’s Autopilot system comes after numerous complaints from Tesla owners, and Tesla dismissing the complaints.
According to Reuters, a Model Y owner reported to the NHTSA that the vehicle slowed down from 80mph to 69mph in less than a second.
“The car braked hard and decelerated from 80 mph to 69 mph in less than a second,” the owner wrote. “The braking was so violent, my head snapped forward and I almost lost control of the car.”
In May 2021, Elon Musk stated that removing the radar sensor would solve the “phantom braking” issue.
We anticipate Tesla will respond and explain what the cause of the issue is. Depending on the NHTSA’s ideal solution, Tesla may need to take the phantom braking issue more seriously and focus on fixing or minimizing the sudden braking through an OTA update.
This could potentially be done by using the data that Tesla has already gathered from its fleet, identifying when and where phantom braking happens most frequently, and then allowing the software to dictate whether it should use the brakes.
Personally, I have noticed my Model 3 braking for road signs that flash orange above the interstate. For example, a sign may have orange flashing lights to indicate that ice may be on the bridge. I’ve also noticed this when traffic lights are controlling the flow into an interstate from the on ramp in California. These instances, however, are more predictable and not as abrupt or sudden.
Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot is back in the spotlight, and this time it's showing off some impressive new footwork. In a pair of videos shared on X this week, Optimus demonstrated a surprising level of agility and coordination while dancing. The first demonstration had a precautionary safety cable, but the second demo was impressive without support.
Tesla has been making some astounding advances in Optimus’ unique FSD model, particularly through simulation and reinforcement learning. Optimus has come a long way since tripping over its own feet.
This first glimpse showed Optimus performing a simple series of dance-like movements. While there was a safety cable visible, indicating the relatively early nature of the test, the fluidity of the movements was noteworthy. Check out those feet—maintaining balance on two legs may be easy for humans, but it’s much harder for a robot as it shifts its center of gravity.
Milan Kovac, a member of the Optimus AI team, provided some additional context on this initial video. He mentioned that more was coming shortly, and the team has been hard at work. What’s key here is that he emphasized that the routine was entirely trained in simulation with reinforcement learning. He also mentioned that there are many optimizations and fixes already put in place for the sim-to-real training code. Finally, regarding the cable, he mentioned it's there in case of a fall and that it is not actually holding Optimus up directly.
Dance Baby, Dance
True to Kovac’s promise, the Tesla Optimus X account followed up with a second, more impressive video, declaring that it was just “getting warmed up.”
This time, Optimus engaged in a far more dynamic EDM-style dance, and crucially, without a safety cable or restraint. Optimus put on a good show of its balance, quicker movements, and an even greater range of dynamic motion, all untethered.
Murtaza Dalal, another Optimus AI team member, commented on this cable-free performance, stating, "As promised, the team is crazy fast :)" He pointed to the core methodology enabling such rapid progress: "Sim2real RL is the key to getting next level agile, dynamic motions. It’s also the key to precision and robustness."
Sim-to-Real Learning
The recurring theme from the Optimus team is the power of sim-to-real transfer using reinforcement learning. This approach involves training the AI model extensively in a simulated virtual environment, where it can learn complex behaviors (like walking, balancing, and now dancing) through trial and error at an accelerated pace. The best part is that it can all be done without risking damage to the physical hardware and done across multiple nodes of Tesla hardware. Imagine thousands of Optimus bots learning to dance all at once - except virtually.
Once the AI masters these skills in the simulation, the challenge lies in transferring that learning effectively to the real-world robot - which is the sim-to-real step.
These latest dance demonstrations suggest Tesla is making some fairly substantial strides in bridging that gap, allowing Optimus to translate simulated learning into real-world physical competence.
Rapid Development
While dancing may seem like a novelty, it serves as a compelling visual demonstration of Optimus’ advanced capabilities in balance, coordination, and dynamic movement - all essential for performing useful tasks in real-world environments. This progress builds on previous milestones, like Optimus learning to walk.
The "crazy fast" development pace lauded by Dalal indicates that Tesla is treating Optimus with the same iterative intensity it applies to its vehicles and FSD software. Each new demonstration, from sorting objects to walking and now dancing, offers a glimpse into a future where humanoid robots could play an important role in manufacturing, logistics, and eventually daily life.
The ability to quickly iterate and improve in simulation and then successfully deploy those improvements to the physical robot is crucial. While Optimus might not be ready for household chores just yet, its new dance moves are a clear sign that FSD is learning and evolving at an impressive rate.
A recent sighting at Giga Texas by drone operator and detail hound Joe Tegtmeyer has really caught our eye. A red Model Y was driving within the factory premises with its front and rear sections heavily camouflaged in Tesla’s standard black coverings. To top it off, there wasn’t just one, but two vehicles.
Tesla usually conceals vehicles when it has something to hide or test, and this timing suggests to us that a new variant of the world’s best-selling SUV is on its way. This leads us to two theories - a refreshed Model Y Performance or the anticipated, more affordable E41 Model Y.
Caught something interesting today … two heavily camouflaged cars driving on the W side of Giga Texas. Several viewers noted this in my short video on the autonomous drive.
— Joe Tegtmeyer 🚀 🤠🛸😎 (@JoeTegtmeyer) May 14, 2025
The front fascia, headlights, and hood are almost entirely obscured, with similar coverings applied to the rear, hiding the taillight design and bumper. This is a classic practice to keep new design elements under wraps before an official unveiling, and this is exactly what we saw with the Model 3 Highland and Model Y Juniper projects. The rest of the vehicle, including the central body and roofline, appear fairly consistent with the current Model Y.
Refreshed Model Y Performance?
One compelling possibility is that Tesla is preparing for the launch of the refreshed Model Y Performance. This speculation gains traction when we look at the launch of the refreshed Model 3 Performance. The Performance variant launched several months after the Long Range AWD and RWD variants and came with a bespoke front fascia. That fascia included air ducts for improved aerodynamics and brake cooling, helping to differentiate it both visually and by performance from other refreshed Model 3s.
It stands to reason that Tesla is preparing to launch the refreshed Model Y Performance. The extensive covering on the front fascia could be hiding a more aggressive, aerodynamically optimized bumper and air ducts to match the Model 3 Performance.
More Affordable Model Y?
Alternatively, this mystery vehicle could be the prototype of the previously discussed affordable variant of the Model Y, known as E41. Tesla has been working on further cost reductions for its highest volume vehicle, which includes cost-cutting components and features, as well as working on manufacturing efficiencies.
Tesla is focusing on making its existing models, like the Model Y, more affordable. In this case, the camouflage might be concealing simplified exterior features designed to help reduce production costs. This could include a revised front-end design, along with different headlights or taillight assemblies. Tesla could even forgo the distinctive front lightbar, as well as the afterburner-style rear lightbar, if it contributes to worthwhile savings.
This would be a step beyond the recently introduced Model Y Long Range RWD, which improves the vehicle’s range and lower the price by $4,000.
For now, the identity of this camouflaged Model Y remains a mystery. The fact that it is out and about at Giga Texas suggests that whatever changes Tesla has incorporated are significant enough to warrant covering up the front and rear of the vehicle.
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