Giant Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturer, Tesla, has reportedly recalled nearly all vehicles sold in the US, numbering up to 2 million, over an issue with the autopilot.
The recall is happening after safety regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, cited safety concerns with the autopilot, due to the high amount of road crashes, in which the feature was reported to have malfunctioned.
Also, the recall is coming two days after an investigation published by the Washington Post, found at least eight serious accidents, including some fatalities, in which the autopilot feature should have not been engaged in the first place.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that Tesla’s autopilot system often presents drivers with a false sense of security which can be easily misused in certain dangerous situations when the technology may be unable to safely navigate the road.
The recall which was disclosed in a letter by NHTSA, disclosed that Tesla had agreed to the software update starting on Tuesday that will limit the use of the Autosteer feature if a driver repeatedly fails to demonstrate that he or she is ready to resume control of the car while the feature is on.
Part of the letter reads,
“In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, but the prominence and scope of the feature’s controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the feature. When drivers are not fully engaged and ready to take control of the car, there may be an increased risk of a crash.”
Tesla which agreed to recall nearly all its vehicles sold in the US, ranging from models Y, S, 3, and X produced between Oct. 5, 2012, and Dec. 7, 2023, disclosed that such a move was necessary as the Autopilot software system controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse, and could increase the risk of a crash.
The company however did not agree with NHTSA’s analysis but would deploy an over-the-air software update that will incorporate additional controls and alerts to those already existing on affected vehicles to further encourage the driver to adhere to their continuous driving responsibility whenever Autosteer is engaged.
After the recall, all Tesla vehicles with Autosteer turned on will more routinely check on the driver’s attention level, and may disengage the feature when the software determines the driver isn’t paying attention, when the car is approaching traffic controls, or when it’s off the highway when Autosteer alone isn’t sufficient to drive the car.
Tesla has been known for numerous recalls over issues with its vehicles, ranging from software-related concerns to hardware components.
These recalls often involve over-the-air updates, showcasing Tesla’s unique capability to remotely address certain issues without requiring physical visits to service centers.
Despite the occasional challenges involved with its vehicles, Tesla’s proactive approach to recalls reflects the company’s dedication to maintaining high safety standards and keeping its fleet of vehicles operating at peak efficiency.