More than 2 million U.S. Tesla owners will begin receiving over-the-air software updates as a result of a recall due to the vehicles’ Autopilot feature.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the recall Wednesday, impacting cars across the automaker’s lineup from model years 2012-23.
The government agency began an investigation more than two years ago into 11 incidents involving “stationary first-responder vehicles and Tesla vehicles that were operating with Autosteer engaged,” according to the recall documents.
Tesla reportedly cooperated with the investigation, providing “extensive information” and participating in several meetings with the agency. Ultimately, the agency found that “Tesla’s unique design of its Autopilot system can provide inadequate driver engagement and usage controls that can lead to foreseeable misuse of the system.”
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As of Dec. 8, the electric vehicle maker identified nine warranty claims from July 2021 to September 2023 that may be related to the issue.
“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,” an NHTSA spokesperson told FOX Business.
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The software update was set to be sent to certain affected vehicles beginning Tuesday, with the rest receiving it at a later date, NHTSA documents said.
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The remedy is said to “incorporate additional controls and alerts to those already existing on affected vehicles to further encourage the driver to adhere to their continuous driving responsibility whenever Autosteer is engaged,” according to the NHTSA.
If misused by a driver, the cars will be able to suspend Autosteer.
The software remedy has been going in new cars under production since Dec. 7, the NHTSA says.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but on Tuesday, the automaker posted to X that safety metrics in its cars are stronger when engaged.
“We have continued to make progress in improving these monitoring systems to reduce misuse,” Tesla wrote.
The company referred customers to its website for more information.
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