On September 16 (it's more natural to put the specific date at the beginning for time - sequence clarity in English), the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) made an announcement on Tuesday, stating that it would carry out a preliminary assessment regarding potential power - related malfunctions in the electronic door handles of certain Tesla Model Y vehicles. This investigation specifically focuses on particular Model Y vehicles from the 2021 model year.

Previous investigations have uncovered numerous cases where occupants were either injured or, in some tragic instances, lost their lives because they were unable to open the doors after the vehicles experienced a power failure. The NHTSA explained that this new investigation would center on the functionality of the vehicle's external electronic door locks. In such scenarios where there is a power loss, there is no manual way to open the doors.

The agency will keep a close eye on all reports of people being trapped inside vehicles and unable to open the doors. The Office of Defects Investigation within the NHTSA will take additional actions as deemed necessary.