Tesla is recalling nearly 363,000 vehicles with its “Full Self-Driving” system to fix issues with the way it ignores displayed speed limits and behaves at intersections.
Tesla’s recall affects some 2016-2023 Model S and X vehicles, as well as 2013-2017 Model 3 and 20201-2023 Model Y vehicles response of the Tesla system in four areas along the streets.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday that Tesla will address the concerns with an online software update in the coming weeks.
Super Bowl ad focus
Tesla’s self-driving systems were the focus of a Super Bowl ad this month by The Dawn Project, a nonprofit group dedicated to developing computer software that’s safe for humans
The 30-second ad claimed that Tesla’s self-driving technology builds on “woefully inappropriate engineering” and spoils pedestrians and drivers. The software can also cause the electric carmaker’s vehicles to swerve into oncoming traffic or drive on the wrong side of the road, the group claimed.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system, which is being tested on public roads by up to 400,000 Tesla owners, performs unsafe actions, such as driving, or crossing an intersection during a yellow light without proper caution, according to National Highway Traffic safety administration
“FSD beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or proceed through intersections in an illegal or unpredictable manner increases the risk of an accident,” NHTSA said.
Tesla, which has dissolved its press department, could not be reached for comment. The automaker announces on its website that its cars cannot drive themselves and owners must be ready to intervene at any time.
crash probes
Tesla received 18 warranty claims from May 2019 to September 12, 2022 that could be caused by the software. However, the electric vehicle manufacturer told the agency that it was not aware of any fatalities or injuries.
NHTSA announced in December that it was investigating two November accidents in California and Ohio involving Tesla’s automated driving systems. The agency has launched investigations into 35 separate accidents, 19 of which were fatal, in Tesla’s self-driving capabilities since 2016.
In a statement, NHTSA said it found the problem in tests conducted as part of an investigation into “full self-driving” and “autopilot” software that handles some driving tasks.
Shares of Tesla fell about 2% in Thursday afternoon trading. The stock is up about 71% year to date, erasing a hefty loss from 2022.