EV startup Lucid is recalling 1,267 Air sedans needing a software update due to their overzealous seat heating settings. Unfortunately, the issue cannot be corrected with a simple OTA update, Carscoops reports.
In early August, the carmaker received a complaint from a sedan owner who said his seat heated up until it charred. The company has registered three similar complaints since then, with one driver even burning a finger against the scorching-hot surface of the rear bench trim.
An internal investigation into the reasons behind the issue revealed that the electronics on board switched off the rear seat temperature auto-adjustment when the car was parked. Despite this, the heating itself continued to run unchecked without any data from the thermometers in the seats. As a result, the cars ran a real risk of burning down just from this software problem.
All affected Air owners will be appropriately compensated for the inconvenience, Lucid says.