NHTSA Complaint #11415035 — 2020 HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC

MY VEHICLE UNNECESSARILY ACTIVATED AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, LOCKING THE WHEELS AND CAUSING THE TRUCK BEHIND ME TO SWERVE ONTO THE SHOULDER TO AVOID CRASHING INTO MY VEHICLE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED WITH THIS CAR. I WAS DRIVING IN THE SLOW LANE OF A LIMITED ACCESS FREEWAY. THE LANE WAS CONGESTED AND I ESTIMATE THE SPEED AT ABOUT 40 MPH. THE CARS AHEAD SLOWED AND BEGAN TO STOP. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND MOVED TO THE BRAKE. AT THIS TIME I WAS THREE OR FOUR CAR LENGTHS BEHIND THE CAR AHEAD, AND COULD HAVE STOPPED EASILY WITH FIRM BUT NORMAL BRAKING. AS SOON AS MY FOOT TOUCHED THE BRAKE PEDAL, MY VEHICLE LOCKED ITS BRAKES AND SCREECHED TO AN ABRUPT STOP. OBJECTS ON THE PASSENGER SEAT WERE THROWN TO THE FLOOR. A TRUCK BEHIND ME HAD TO SWERVE TO THE RIGHT OF MY VEHICLE TO AVOID CRASHING INTO IT. THE DRIVER FOLLOWED ME HONKING FOR HALF A MILE UNTIL MY EXIT. THIS HAPPENED ONCE BEFORE, IN FEBRUARY 2020. FOLLOWING THAT INCIDENT, I TOOK THE CAR TO HYUNDAI DEALER SERVICE, WHO ADVISED THAT "THE CAR IS OPERATING CORRECTLY." SEE ATTACHED SERVICE REPORT. NOTE THAT NO VEHICLES CHANGED LANES IN FRONT OF MINE DURING EITHER INCIDENT, BUT NOTWITHSTANDING, THE DEALER SERVICE SUGGESTED THAT AS A CAUSE.