Tesla is recalling more than 2 million cars
- Tesla is recalling almost two million vehicles
- It’s due to safety concerns related to the Autopilot feature
- It follows a two-year investigation into 956 crashes involving the tech
Published on Dec 14, 2023 at 2:50 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Dec 20, 2023 at 4:40 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Adam Gray
In the US, Tesla is recalling almost two million vehicles because of safety concerns related to the Autopilot feature.
This move comes after a two-year investigation.
The investigation looked into roughly Tesla 956 crashes involving the technology’s use.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that the Autopilot system gave drivers a false sense of security.
This leads to potential misuse and risky behavior on the road saying, “the prominence and scope of the feature’s controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse”.
“Automated technology holds great promise for improving safety but only when it is deployed responsibly”, the NHTSA said on Wednesday (13 December).
It’s Tesla’s biggest recall ever.
Even after Elon Musk famously once had to recall 500,000 Teslas that could play fart sounds.
And this isn’t the only time Elon Musk has been left red-faced recently as he lost $7 billion in five hours.
The most recent recall includes a software update “over the air” to fix the issue.
This safety upgrade will happen automatically.
It doesn’t require Tesla owners to visit to a dealership or garage.
The update will provide additional warnings to Tesla drivers when using Autopilot’s “Autosteer” function.
The NHTSA hope this move will enhance driver attention and prevent future accidents.
The recall update comes mere days after Tesla announced their 2023 Holiday Update.
The huge recall applies to almost every Tesla sold in the United States since Autopilot launched in 2015.
Autopilot was touted to help with steering, acceleration and braking.
However, it still requires input from the driver and is supposed to ensure the feature is only used in appropriate conditions.
This includes driving on highways.
According to the recall notice, Tesla did not concur with the agency’s analysis.
However, they did agree to add new features to resolve concerns.
These include additional checks on turning on self-driving features.
On Tuesday, Tesla defended the safety of Autopilot in a post on X in response to a Washington Post article.
“Safety metrics are emphatically stronger when Autopilot is engaged than when not engaged” the company’s account said in the post.
They quoted statistics that suggest there were fewer crashes when Autopilot is engaged.
Tesla also recently announced its Active Hood safety feature for pedestrians and cyclists.
The NHTSA will continue to monitor the software once it was updated.
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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
