01:37 PM EST, 01/21/2025 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates with American Honda's response in the fifth paragraph.)

Honda Motor's ( HMC ) American Honda unit is facing an expanded investigation into an estimated 295,125 vehicles related to alleged inadvertent automatic emergency braking, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The regulator described the problem as an inadvertent activation that increases collision risk due to rapid vehicle deceleration.

The NHTSA said that in March 2024, it opened a preliminary evaluation to look into reports of inadvertent activation of the automatic emergency braking system in model years 2019-22 Honda Insight and Passport vehicles. The regulator said complainants had alleged activation of the system without apparent obstruction in the vehicle's path, leading to rapid deceleration.

The scope of the probe is being expanded to include model year 2023 Honda Passport vehicles, the regulator said.

"We are aware that the NHTSA has upgraded an existing preliminary evaluation regarding the operation of the collision mitigation braking system... to an engineering analysis," American Honda said in a statement emailed to MT Newswires. "Honda ( HMC ) will continue to cooperate with the NHTSA through the investigation process, and we will continue our own internal review of the available information."

Price: 28.66, Change: +0.42, Percent Change: +1.49