- A US lawsuit claims Tucson models suffer phantom braking issues.
- The complaint centers on repeated unintended emergency stops.
- Plaintiff argues disclosures downplay sudden braking risks.
Forward collision-avoidance systems are designed to make modern cars safer. But according to a newly-filed class action lawsuit in the US, the Hyundai Tucson’s system can do the opposite, allegedly triggering phantom braking with no obstacle in sight.
The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Central District of California, centers on an owner who says his Tucson has repeatedly braked on its own, even when the road ahead was completely clear. The plaintiff, Dennis Sperling, states that no crashes or injuries resulted from the sudden stops. Still, he argues that Hyundai rushed the system to market despite knowing about its faults.
Read: Hyundai Drivers Say This SUV Skids On Bumps And Won’t Stop When It Should
Several statements made by Hyundai in the owner’s manual of the 2025 Tucson are cited in the class action. Hyundai says that “Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist may turn off or may not operate properly or may operate unnecessarily depending on the road conditions and surroundings.”
Some of the “road conditions and surroundings” mentioned by Hyundai can include lights reflecting on a wet road surface, if the front vehicle’s ground clearance is low or high, if the temperature around the front radar is high or low, and that the system may be triggered while driving through a tunnel or an iron bridge.
The owner’s manual even indicates the system may be triggered if “the vehicle in front has an unusual shape,” or “the vehicle in front is driving uphill or downhill.” The lawsuit presents these statements as evidence that Hyundai has long known about issues with the system, yet introduced the system to the market anyway.
It further argues that Hyundai’s warning that the system ‘may not operate properly’ serves to “downplay the potential severity and consequences of sudden unintended braking when the car is driving at a high rate of speed.”
The case is now before the courts, which will determine what happens next. Regardless of how it progresses, it’ll be a headache we’re sure Hyundai would like to avoid.
