Tesla Recalls More Than 2 Million Vehicles
Nearly every vehicle sold by Tesla since 2012 is now due for a software update.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a recall of over 2 million Tesla vehicles on Wednesday. Documents posted by the agency show that Tesla cars and SUVs across its entire model lineup need a software update for their "Autopilot" systems. The company will send out this update directly to the owners, so they won't need to get the vehicles serviced or return them at all.
This recall applies to nearly all Tesla vehicles sold in the U.S. between Oct. 5, 2012 and Dec. 7, 2023, according to a report by CBS News. That includes models Y, S, 3 and X. The NHTSA conducted a two-year investigation to determine that the "Autopilot" system on Tesla cars needed a major overhaul. The issue is the system which makes sure that drivers are still paying attention even when using the partially-automated driving system. The agency has already investigated at least 42 crashes related to this system, including some that were deadly.
Tesla's Autopilot is an "advanced driver-assistance system" that includes "traffic-aware cruise control," and "lane centering," but it is not meant to take the place of a human driver altogether. The company has been criticized for using the term "autopilot" at all, as some find it misleading. A spokesperson for the NHTSA told CBS News that Tesla does not do enough to ensure that drivers are still paying attention while Autopilot is engaged, and the issue "can lead to foreseeable misuse of the system."
According to Tesla, the software update was sent to some vehicles on Tuesday and the rest will be sent out at a later date. The NHTSA said that the update includes new controls and alerts "to further encourage the driver to adhere to their continuous driving responsibility." They went on: "Automated technology holds great promise for improving safety, but only when it is deployed responsibly. Today's action is an example of improving automated systems by prioritizing safety."
The documents note that Tesla did not agree with NHTSA's assessment of the safety issues earlier in the investigation. However, the company agreed to comply with the agency's recommendations in order to end the investigation. Tesla has had similar issues before, but this is the biggest recall the company has ever made. The NHTSA advises Tesla drivers to look at the recall order on their specific vehicle and stay off the road until they are in compliance.