France Launches Inquiry Into Autonomous Braking Failures in Multiple Car Brands
France's Ministry of Transport is investigating widespread reports of unexpected autonomous emergency braking activation in vehicles from multiple manufacturers, after a Lyon driver's April 2025 incident sparked over 350 similar complaints. The inquiry, launched in August 2025 with car manufacturers, includes ministry testing and a public questionnaire to document cases.
What happened
A Lyon resident named Joanna reported an incident in April 2025 where her Peugeot 208 suddenly braked on motorway A40 in Ain, decelerating from 120 km/h to a complete stop without driver input and causing a collision with the following vehicle.
After publicizing her case, Joanna received over 350 similar reports from drivers of various brands including Peugeot, Volkswagen, Audi, Renault, Tesla, Skoda and Honda. The French Ministry of Transport opened a technical inquiry in August 2025 with car manufacturers, with conclusions expected by year-end.
Reported impact
The Ministry of Transport has received several dozen reports since August 2025, though it estimates this underrepresents the actual number of incidents based on testimonies circulating online.
Governance controls
The Ministry of Transport is launching an online questionnaire for affected drivers to report their vehicle model, incident date and detailed description. The Ministry is also conducting its own tests on vehicles and interviewing manufacturers.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.