Why safety regulators closed their investigation into Tesla’s remote parking feature

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has officially closed its investigation into Tesla's remote parking feature, dubbed "Actually Smart Summon." The regulatory body found that incidents related to this technology were infrequent, occurred at low speeds, and generally resulted in minimal damage. In an update released on Friday, the NHTSA clarified that the conclusion of the investigation does not imply the absence of any safety-related defects, and the agency retains the authority to reopen the inquiry if necessary. The Smart Summon feature, introduced through a software update in September 2024, allows Tesla owners to summon their vehicles from a distance at low speeds using only the vehicle's cameras, marking a shift from the previous version that relied on ultrasonic sensors, which are no longer part of newer models. The NHTSA initiated the investigation in January 2025 following multiple reports of crashes involving the Actually Smart Summon feature. The findings revealed that out of millions of Summon uses, only a tiny fraction—less than 1%—resulted in accidents, most of which were minor incidents such as collisions with gates, parked vehicles, or bollards. Notably, the report indicated there were no serious injuries, fatalities, or significant property damage that would necessitate airbag deployment or vehicle towing. Investigation results showed that issues often arose from either the user or the system's inability to accurately perceive the surroundings, typically due to restricted visibility in the camera view. Additional complications arose when snow obstructed the camera’s line of sight, which the system failed to account for. In response to these findings, Tesla has rolled out several software updates aimed at enhancing the detection of camera obstructions and improving object recognition capabilities, according to the NHTSA's report.