Tesla recalls nearly 363,000 electric vehicles due to problems with driver assistance technology

Tesla’s Model Y electric car on display in Bangkok, Thailand. Illustration: AFP/VNA

To fix the problem, Tesla will release a software update that can be performed remotely.

According to NHTSA, problems with Tesla’s FSD Beta system make it possible for cars to perform maneuvers that “potentially violate traffic laws or local regulations, which could increase the risk of a crash if the driver did not intervene”.

NHTSA says the driver assistance system “may allow the vehicle to act unsafely around intersections” by not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign, staying straight in a turn-only lane, or passing an orange light. The system also “may not respond adequately to posted speed limit changes”.

Tesla’s stock price fell about 5% after the announcement. The company’s CEO, Elon Musk, downplayed the incident on Twitter, agreeing with one user that the term “recall” should not be used for problems can be resolved without significant repair. “The word ‘recall’ for an over-the-air software update is outdated and completely false!” he wrote.

The move comes as US authorities are stepping up their investigation into Tesla’s driver assistance programs in a number of ways. Last month, Tesla revealed that the Justice Department had opened an investigation into its driver assistance program, after NHTSA conducted a review of Tesla’s “Autopilot” technology following a number of safety incidents. .

Mr. Musk has advertised “broadly” about Tesla’s driver assistance programs, but the program has not progressed as quickly as he said. In 2019, Musk said the company would be able to produce a fully self-driving vehicle within a year — a prospect that has yet to materialize.