Tesla has issued a recall for almost all vehicles sold in the U.S., totaling over 2 million units, to address a software issue in its Autopilot system. The move comes after a two-year investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) into a series of accidents involving the Autopilot partially automated driving system.
The recall aims to update the software and rectify the defective system designed to ensure driver attention during Autopilot use. According to documents released by U.S. safety regulators on Wednesday, the update will enhance warnings and alerts to drivers and restrict the areas where basic Autopilot functions can operate.
The NHTSA’s investigation revealed inadequacies in Autopilot’s method of ensuring driver attention, leading to a “foreseeable misuse of the system.” The recall includes models Y, S, 3, and X produced between Oct. 5, 2012, and Dec. 7, 2023.
The software update will impose limitations on where Autosteer, a component of Autopilot, can be used. If conditions for engagement are not met, the feature will alert the driver, and Autosteer will not activate. The added controls include increased visual alerts, simplified activation and deactivation of Autosteer, and additional checks on system use outside controlled access roads.
While safety experts view the recall as a positive step, they argue that it still places the responsibility on the driver and doesn’t address the fundamental issue of Tesla’s automated systems struggling to detect and stop for obstacles.
The investigation into Tesla crashes involving Autopilot has been ongoing, with NHTSA investigating 35 incidents since 2016, suspecting vehicles were operating on an automated system. At least 17 fatalities have been reported in these accidents. The recent recall is part of a broader inquiry into Teslas on Autopilot colliding with emergency vehicles.
In response, Tesla maintains that Autopilot and Full Self Driving are driver-assist systems, requiring the driver to be ready to intervene at all times. The company emphasizes that safety is enhanced when Autopilot is engaged.
The NHTSA stated that the investigation remains open as it monitors the effectiveness of Tesla’s remedies and collaborates with the automaker to ensure the highest level of safety.
