Elon Musk's Tesla is to 'recall' nearly every vehicle sold in the United States, after two year NHTSA investigation.
Elon Musk's Tesla is having to recall nearly all its vehicles it has sold in the United States, after the US transportation safety regulator ordered a recall following a two year investigation.
On Monday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a recall notice for just over two million Tesla vehicles following a two-year investigation into a series of accidents and crashes involving Tesla vehicles using Autopilot.
Tesla will roll out the 'over the air' update to 2.03 million Model S, X, 3 and Y vehicles in the United States dating back to the 2012 model year.
There is no word if Tesla will do the same recall for its vehicles in the UK, Europe or China.
The NHTSA in its recall notice said that 100 percent of the 2.03 million recalled Tesla vehicles in the US have been impacted, and it is Tesla's largest ever recall to date.
The recall notice applies to all Tesla vehicle models equipped with Autosteer, a driver-assist feature included within Tesla's basic Autopilot package.
One component of Autopilot is Autosteer, which maintains a set speed or following distance and controls the vehicle to keep it within its driving lane.
The NHTSA has previously ordered other Tesla recalls.
For example in February 2023 Tesla had to recall 362,758 vehicles equipped with the Full Self-Driving beta - a more advanced driver's assistance program.
It was back in August 2021 when the NHTSA had launched a formal investigation of Tesla's Autopilot, after a series of high profile fatal crashes.
Then in June 2022 the NHTSA upgraded its investigation of Tesla's Autopilot - the step taken before the agency determines a recall.
In October 2022 it was reported that the US Department of Justice had also launched a previously undisclosed criminal investigation back in 2021 over Tesla's alleged claims that its electric vehicles can drive themselves.
In July 2023, the NHTSA ordered Tesla to provide updated records as it continued its safety probe.
Tesla EVs have been at the centre of a number of incidents in recent years surrounding the use of automated driving systems, including multiple accidents and indeed fatalities.
Tesla's crashes into emergency vehicles is also concerning the US authorities.
Tesla reportedly did not respond to a question on whether the recall would be performed outside the United States.
In September 2020 a Tesla driver in Canada was charged, after he and his passenger were found by police in Alberta sleeping in fully reclined seats whilst the Tesla drove along a highway in autonomous mode at speeds of more than 140kph.
The driver had overcome the Tesla safety system by attaching a weight to the steering wheel to trick the car's systems.
Meanwhile NHTSA's investigation into Autopilot will remain open as it monitors the efficacy of Tesla's remedies.
This Cyber News was published on www.silicon.co.uk. Publication date: Wed, 13 Dec 2023 16:13:18 +0000