Tesla Inc. (TSLA.O) is recalling 53,822 vehicles in the United States that have the company’s Full Self-Driving (Beta) software, which may allow some models to do “rolling stops” rather than coming to a complete stop at specific junctions, posing a safety concern.
The recall affects select 2016-2022 Model S and Model X, 2017-2022 Model 3, and 2020-2022 Model Y vehicles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the function known as FSD Beta may allow vehicles to pass through an all-way stop junction without coming to a complete stop.
According to the NHTSA, Tesla will perform an over-the-air software upgrade that will disable the “rolling stop” feature. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment right away.
Tesla announced this week that the number of FSD beta vehicles in the US had risen to approximately 60,000, up from a few thousand at the end of September. Tesla has been testing an updated version of its automated driving software on public roads, but the automaker and regulator have stated that the features do not constitute the vehicles self-driving.
As of Jan. 27, Tesla stated it had not received any warranty claims, collisions, injuries, or fatalities as a result of the recall.
LAWS OF THE STATE
Tesla told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it upgraded its software on Oct. 20 to include the “rolling stop” feature. To use the technology, vehicles must be travelling at less than 5.6 miles per hour (9 km/h) and no relevant moving cars, pedestrians, or bikers must be spotted near the crossing, according to the carmaker.
The function, which appeared to break state laws requiring vehicles to come to a complete stop and required drivers to opt-in for “Assertive” mode, garnered widespread notice on social media and prompted the NHTSA to inquire about it.
Tesla met with NHTSA officials on Jan. 10 and Jan. 19 “to review the functionality, including operating parameters,” according to a defect report submitted with the car safety agency, and the automaker consented to the recall on Jan. 20.
Tesla recalled roughly 12,000 U.S. vehicles sold since 2017 in November due to a communication problem that could result in a false forward-collision warning or sudden emergency braking activation.
Last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it had requested further information from Tesla as part of its investigation into 580,000 vehicles over the automaker’s decision to allow passengers to play games on the front centre touchscreen.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) started a preliminary investigation into 2017-2022 Tesla Model 3, S, X, and Y vehicles in December, claiming that the vehicle’s “Passenger Play” feature “may distract the driver and increase the risk of a crash.”
After nearly a dozen collisions involving Tesla models and emergency vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) initiated a formal safety investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot driver assistance technology in 765,000 U.S. vehicles in August. That probe is still ongoing.
