The hundreds of testimonies that have accumulated since the beginning of July suggest the spectrum of a new scandal in the automotive world. Libération Take stock of “ghost braking” that are increasing among owners of recent invoice vehicles.
First, the scenario, told on August 4 by Joanna to France Inter. At the end of April, this resident of Décines (Rhône) was driving her Peugeot 208 on the A40 in Haute-Savoie. No danger on the horizon when the motorist passes to the city from Ceignes, in the Ain. When suddenly, launched at a speed of around 120 km/h, its 208 begins to brake alone, in the process.
«She stopped, without action on my part and when there was no obstacle before me. The car behind came to hit me, and my vehicle made an 180 degrees ”, she describes. Its Peugeot, however equipped with driving aid, also has a braking aid system. Since 2022, all new vehicles sold on European territory have necessarily been sold with this automatic emergency braking device, in the event of an obstacle on the roadway.
Contacted here, the Ministry of Transport assured Wednesday August 13 that“An exchange took place on August 7 between August 7 between [cette automobiliste] And the vehicle and engines market monitoring service (SSMVM), a service attached to the Ministry of Transport ”.
Despite the violence of the shock, Joanna is doing with hematomas and a cervical spraining. Hearing by the gendarmerie, she does not obtain justice the expertise of her vehicle, good for breakage.
After this swerry, the young woman wants to know if other people have been victims of such a dysfunction. A Facebook group, “collective auto ghost brakes” is born. Joanna thus harvested more than 250 testimonies in less than a month. Several brands are concerned (Volkswagen, Audi, Renault, Tesla, etc.) and the damage reported by the drivers are spread over the last four years, ranging from “Petit an incident” until “The fatal accident”.
In December 2023, on the A7 motorway in the Drôme, a driver named Aurélie portrayed with ICI The drama she was the victim with her assistant. “”The car has slowed down suddenly, when I was accelerating. En a few seconds, we went from 130 km/h, upon stopping. We were struck from the rear. My passenger died, I fell into a coma ”. Expected three times, his Skoda brand car does not reveal any failure. Judged last May, Aurélie was sentenced in early July to prison suspended for manslaughter.
Joined by LibertyMagali, 56, has owned a new Skoda since the end of June. This Friday, she and her Husband Pascal ride towards Vannes on a departmental, quiet road. Without warning, the car runs out in the middle of the road and stops. “Pascal has restarted. Fortunately the car behind us did not stick to us ”, tells Magali to Libération. It is no coincidence. For a month, the couple has not managed to tame the vehicle. On several occasions, their Skoda has slowed down with all Go, without being ordered. Their first time was less than a month ago. In mid-July, head to holidays and Normandy. The Skoda de Pascal and Magali spins like the wind on the highway. Then brake at once. “”The belts tackled us at our headquarters, the lights were on, it was blinking and it was “beep” in the cabin. We were afraid that someone behind us to use us ”, recalls Magali.
The motorist then tries to find an explanation. “There were a few people in front of us, maybe the car was afraid”. Rebelote a few days later, still on the highway, at high speed. “Frankly, this time, I was completely alone on the track, no one in front. The car suddenly slowed down very hard“She recalls.
“We have new cars that are supposed to have a security system, but ultimately it is more dangerous than without assistance”notes the motorist, who fears a matter similar to that of defective Takata airbags. And to wonder: “How to be taken care of in the event of an accident or worse, death?” These defective airbags that explode have already killed 18 and 25 injured. The scandal affects around thirty car manufacturers.
After their last mishap, the couple contacted Skoda assistance. Answer : “If it starts again, call a convenience store”. Not really reassuring.
Faced with the various testimonials of compiled ghost braking, the manufacturers kick up and ensure the Parisian Do not have detected system abnormality during accidental vehicle analysis. According to some garage owners, this type of incident can sometimes be explained by a phenomenon of “Camera fault”, an “electronic problem” or a “ABS failure ”.
The Ministry of Transport assured this week that several cases have been reported directly to it and that its services were going “Question the manufacturers and carry out testing. ” And know if there is “anomaliesOr not.
Update At 6.30 p.m. with a new incident that occurred this Friday with the vehicle of our witness, Magali
