Tesla Restores Auto Emergency Braking to Model S, X

CARS.COM — Tesla has begun restoring automatic emergency braking to Model S electric sports sedans and Model X electric SUVs, albeit a much lower-speed version than initially expected. The automaker had announced the safety feature would be standard across its lineup, and previously available versions operated at more than three times the speed compared with the 28 mph now being added via over-the-air update.

Related: Tesla Updates Price on Model S, Model X

Automatic emergency braking systems, as defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, detect an impending crash with another vehicle in time to mitigate or avoid the crash. The technology first alerts the driver to take corrective action, then takes over and applies the brakes if the driver’s response is not sufficient to avoid the collision.

Tesla’s reintroduction of auto emergency braking followed a point penalization by consumer-advocate publication Consumer Reports, which resulted in both the automaker’s current vehicles — the Model S and Model X — falling in the influential ratings. Consumer Reports dinged Tesla after its promise of standard auto emergency braking on new models was not immediately honored.

Tesla will have to restore automatic emergency braking to the “vast majority” of Model S and Model X owners before Consumer Reports will restore the vehicles’ ratings. For the Model S, the two-point reduction to 85 meant falling to third place from first among “ultraluxury” rivals.

Shortly following the points deduction on Wednesday, which also sent the Model X SUV to the lower rungs, Tesla announced that it would restore the safety feature’s functionality at speeds of up to 28 mph. That’s compared with the 90-mph limit for the previous system included on vehicles built prior to late October 2016, Consumer Reports stated. The automaker reportedly began updating vehicles with the reduced limit on Thursday, with the higher limit to come later.

Consumer Reports stated that it awards bonus points to cars with standard forward collision warning and auto emergency braking across the model lineup, with higher bonuses for high-speed systems.

Get the full story from Consumer Reports.