Elon Musk’s Tesla said it would recall 3,62,000 US vehicles to update its Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta software after US regulators said on Thursday the driver assistance system did not adequately adhere to traffic safety laws and could cause crashes.
Tesla has issued a recall affecting approximately 1.8 million vehicles in the United States due to a potential issue with the hood latch assembly. This recall encompasses certain 2021–2024 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and 2020–2024 Model Y vehicles.
The concern arises from a Elon Musk software flaw that may fail to detect when the hood is unlatched, posing a risk of the hood opening while driving and obstructing the driver’s view, thereby increasing the likelihood of a crash
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the Tesla software allows a vehicle to “exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash.”
Tesla will release an over-the-air (OTA) software update free of charge, and the electric vehicle maker said is not aware of any injuries or deaths that may be related to the recall issue. The automaker said it had 18 warranty claims.
Elon Musk Tesla shares were down 1.6 percent at $210.76 (nearly Rs. 17,420) on Thursday afternoon.
Elon Musk recall covers 2016-2023 Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with FSD Beta software or pending installation.
NHTSA asked Tesla to recall the vehicles, but the company said despite the recall it did not concur in NHTSA’s analysis. The move is a rare intervention by federal regulators in a real-world testing program that the company sees as crucial to the development of cars that can drive themselves. FSD Beta is used by hundreds of thousands of Tesla customers.
The setback for Tesla’s automated driving effort comes about two weeks before the company’s March 1 investor day, during which Chief Executive Elon Musk is expected to promote the EV maker’s artificial intelligence capability and plans to expand its vehicle lineup.
Elon Musk Tesla could not immediately be reached for comment.
NHTSA has an ongoing investigation it opened in 2021 into 8,30,000 Tesla vehicles with driver assistance system Autopilot over a string of crashes with parked emergency vehicles. NHTSA is reviewing whether Tesla vehicles adequately ensure drivers are paying attention. NHTSA said on Thursday despite the FSD recall its “investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot and associated vehicle systems remains open and active.”
Tesla said in “certain rare circumstances, the feature could Elon Musk potentially infringe upon local traffic laws or customs while executing certain driving maneuvers.”
Elon Musk’s Tesla
Possible situations where the problem could occur include traveling or turning through certain intersections during a yellow traffic light and making a lane change out of certain turn-only lanes to continue traveling straight, NHTSA said.
NHTSA said “the system may respond insufficiently to changes in posted speed limits or not adequately account for the driver’s adjustment of the vehicle’s speed to exceed posted speed limits.”
Last year, Tesla recalled nearly 54,000 US vehicles with FSD Beta software that may allow some models to conduct “rolling stops” and not come to a complete stop at some intersections, posing a safety risk, NHTSA said.
Tesla and NHTSA say FSD’s advanced driving features do not make the cars autonomous and require drivers to pay attention.
🚗 Affected Models
-
Model 3: 2021–2024
-
Model S: 2021–2024
-
Model X: 2021–2024
-
Model Y: 2020–2024YouTube+8CBS News+8Cars.com+8Cars.com+4Cars.com+4Reuters+4
🛠️ Recall Action
Tesla has addressed this issue through an over-the-air (OTA) software update, which began rolling out in mid-June 2024. This update enables the vehicle’s software to detect an unlatched hood and alerts the driver accordingly .avto-moto8.com+11Reuters+11Cars.com+11
📅 Important Dates
-
Recall Announcement: July 30, 2024
-
Owner Notification Letters Mailed: September 24, 2024ReutersCars.com
✅ What Owners Should Do
-
Check for Software Update: Ensure your vehicle has received the latest OTA software update.
-
Verify Hood Latch Functionality: Manually check that the hood latch is functioning correctly.
-
Contact Tesla Support: If you have concerns or need assistance, reach out to Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752.Auto Express+5carwow.co.uk+5People.com+5YouTube+5Cars.com+5Reddit+5
© Thomson Reuters 2023
