NHTSA complaint: 2019 AUDI E-TRON — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ON JANUARY 13, 202, THIS 2019 AUDI E-TRON WAS THE 2ND CAR STOPPED AT A RED TRAFFIC SIGNAL ON A PUBLIC ROAD. THE DRIVER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. WHILE THE LIGHT REMAINED RED WITH THE DRIVER'S FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR LURCHED FORWARD INTO THE REAR OF THE FRONT CAR CONTINUING PUSHING FORWARD FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AS THE DRIVER PUSHED HARDER ON THE BRAKE, TRIED TO SHIFT THE CAR OUT OF DRIVE, FINALLY STOPPING THE CAR BY PUSHING THE POWER BUTTON. THE CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY TOWED TO THE DEALER AFTER THE ACCIDENT, AND THE DEALER AND AUDI OF AMERICA WAS IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. AUDI FINALLY SENT AN ENGINEER TO INSPECT THE CAR ON FEB. 14, 2020. ACCORDING TO AUDI, THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS WERE OPERATING PROPERLY AT THE TIME OF THEIR INSPECTION, AND THE CAR'S DATA RECORDER REVEALED NO INFORMATION REGARDING THE ACCIDENT. THEY CONCLUDE THAT THE ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE EXONERATES THE CAR AND AUDI. INASMUCH AS THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED ABOVE, THE ABSENCE OF ANY DATA ON THEIR RECORDER, IF TRUE, AND THE PROPER FUNCTIONING OF THE PEDALS UPON LATER INSPECTION, ARE NOT EVIDENCE THAT THE ACCIDENT DID NOT HAPPEN AS DESCRIBED AND THE ABSENCE OF SOME ELECTRONIC MALFUNCTION THAT IS LIKELY TO HAVE OCCURRED AS BEING THE CAUSE. THEREFORE, THIS VEHICLE IS INHERENTLY UNTRUSTWORTHY AND UNSAFE. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation