Tesla, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, is recalling more than two million cars in the United States following a two-year investigation by the US regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The investigation revealed a partial defect in Tesla’s Autopilot driver assistance system, leading to crashes when the Autopilot feature was in use.
The recall encompasses nearly every Tesla vehicle sold in the US since the introduction of the Autopilot feature in 2015.
The NHTSA identified an issue with Autopilot’s driver monitoring system, responsible for detecting whether the driver is attentive.
The system is designed to check if the driver has their hands on the wheel. As a result of the investigation, Tesla announced a recall, acknowledging that the controls of the system “may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse.”
Tesla plans to address the issue through a software update, delivered “over the air.” This update occurs automatically and does not require a visit to a dealership or garage, though it is still considered a recall by the regulator.
Autopilot is intended to assist with steering, acceleration, and braking but requires driver input despite its name.
The NHTSA emphasized responsible deployment of automated technology, stating, “Automated technology holds great promise for improving safety but only when it is deployed responsibly.” The regulator will continue to monitor the software after the update.
This marks the second recall this year affecting Tesla vehicles. Last week, a former Tesla employee expressed concerns about the safety of Autopilot, stating that he believed the technology was not ready.
Tesla defended the safety of Autopilot, asserting that safety metrics were stronger when Autopilot was engaged, citing statistics indicating fewer crashes when the system was in use.
