Tesla Recalls Over 2 Million Cars To Prevent Autopilot Misuse

Tesla has to recall nearly all of its vehicles sold in the US due to safety flaws with its Autopilot technology. It affects more than two million vehicles and includes the Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y equipped with Autosteer. The automaker will rectify the issue with an over-the-air software update.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been investigating the company's Autopilot technology since 2021, and it has concluded that the system does not do enough to prevent drivers from misusing the feature. NHSTA said in its Safety Recall Report that Autosteer's controls "may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse" in certain circumstances.

The software update will implement additional controls to alert the driver about remaining engaged behind the wheel and simplify the engagement and disengagement of Autosteer. The fix will also include the ability for the software to suspend drivers from using Autosteer if it detects someone repeatedly failing "to demonstrate continuous and sustained driving responsibility while the feature is engaged."

According to the timeline of events in the recall, NHTSA began engaging with Tesla about its conclusions on October 16. While the report notes that Tesla did not agree with the agency's conclusion about Autosteer, the automaker did agree to voluntarily administer a recall and implement the fix. NHTSA's investigation will remain open to monitor the update's efficacy. 

The software update, version 2023.44.30, is free. Tesla issued a recall for all its vehicles in February due to its full self-driving software possibly allowing "a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner."