NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE26-007: Crashes involving comma.ai driving automation products
- Open
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE26-007 on September 21, 2026; NHTSA's investigations file listed it as open on October 23, 2026. NHTSA's investigations file lists 3 COMMA.AI models for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE26-007 (also written PE26007)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Open since September 21, 2026
- Opened
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- comma.ai
- Vehicles and equipment
- 3 COMMA.AI models, including the Comma 3X and Comma Four
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE26-007.
The Office of Defects Investigation ("ODI") has identified crashes involving vehicles equipped with devices manufactured by comma.ai (“comma”) occurring under similar circumstances. ODI received notice of five (5) crashes in which vehicles with comma devices installed reportedly struck stopped or slowly moving vehicles within the same travel lane. ODI has confirmed that the systems were powered on or engaged in multiple crashes. Preliminary data reviewed by ODI suggests that the comma system may not have adequately detected or responded to the in-lane vehicles. Two crashes resulted in a total of three (3) fatalities. Four of the five crashes contributed to various non-fatal injuries, including serious injuries, to eleven (11) other individuals. The comma devices are after-market accessory systems intended to augment a vehicle’s driving automation capabilities. The devices are sold with wire harnesses that connect to existing vehicle systems and use the device’s cameras alongside stock vehicle sensors as a basis to provide sustained automated control of speed and vehicle heading with options for other enhanced features enabled by software loaded onto the devices. The devices are sold directly to consumers, and the company’s provided setup instructions are intended for consumer installation. The company advertises on its website that, with its “step-by-step guide,” a consumer can “[g]et set up in your car in 15 minutes.” According to the website, the devices provide “hands free driving for the car you already have,” and the software (openpilot) that comma develops to operate on the devices is described as “an open source advanced driver assistance system that works on 325+ car models” and “[c]an drive for hours without intervention.” The company’s website states that “openpilot requires the driver to be alert, pay attention, and be ready to take over at all times.” ODI is opening this Preliminary Evaluation to investigate further any incidents involving the comma devices and openpilot, particularly crashes involving slower or stopped vehicles or hazards in lane. The investigation will obtain data to verify system status for each incident and evaluate system performance and safeguards that are intended to ensure safe operation of vehicles equipped with comma devices. Additionally, to the extent that modified software based on openpilot (i.e., a “fork”) is involved in a crash or other incident, ODI will evaluate the incident and consider the shared components between openpilot and the fork. The SGO incidents cited in the Opening Resume are listed below by report ID and are available for download at NHTSA.gov/laws-regulations/standing-general-order-crash-reporting 30351-15888 30351-14668 30351-11961 30351-1807 62-14853
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE26-007. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
COMMA.AI
COMMA.AI Comma 3X
- model year not given
COMMA.AI Comma Four
- model year not given
COMMA.AI Comma Three
- model year not given
What an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE26-007
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.