For several months, reports from motorists experiencing “phantom braking” have been multiplying. The scenario is always the same: on highways or fast roads, often brand-new cars suddenly brake hard without any apparent reason, causing major shock—and in at least one case, a fatal accident.
All brands and models appear to be affected, from entry-level vehicles to high-end sedans. Technical investigations have so far led nowhere. The mystery remains complete.
Faced with the lack of answers from experts and the silence of manufacturers, some drivers—sometimes dismissed as delusional—have formed a collective now bringing together more than 1,200 people reporting similar malfunctions.
Could the automatic emergency braking system, mandatory on all new vehicles since 2022, be to blame? Weather conditions? Poor calibration? Electronic glitches? Is this the beginning of a new automotive scandal?
In the United States, investigations have already been opened into 3 million Teslas over electronic issues.