US Opens Probe Into Freightliner Trucks Automatically Braking Without Obstacle in Road

US Opens Probe Into Freightliner Trucks Automatically Braking Without Obstacle in Road
The emblem of Freightliner on a truck in Hanover, northern Germany, on Sept. 23, 2008. Joerg Sarbach/AP Photo
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DETROIT—The U.S. government’s highway safety agency is investigating complaints that the automatic emergency braking on big Freightliner semis can stop the trucks unexpectedly for no apparent reason.

It’s at least the third recent investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) into glitches with the technology, which has the potential to save lives because it can make vehicles stop or slow down for stopped or slowed traffic.