Sudden braking in 2 VW SUV models draws regulatory scrutiny

By TOM KRISHER
AP Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP) — First came the beeping alarms and the dashboard lights warning that something had gone haywire. Then the driver’s side windows suddenly and mysteriously rolled down. Kendall Heiman’s Volkswagen SUV then pulled the scariest stunt of all: It abruptly braked for no reason. Heiman, a clinical social worker in Lawrence, Kansas, was driving on Jan. 5 when her 2021 Atlas Cross Sport went bonkers. Heiman’s experience, it turns out, wasn’t unique. Since late 2020, 46 VW owners have complained to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the same glitches in their 2020 and 2021 VW Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs.