Tesla will be recalling the software on around 595,000 Model S, X and Y vehicles made in 2020-2022, as well as Model 3 sedans produced in 2017-2022 following an NHTSA ruling deeming its Boombox system in violation of the current law.
The feature is originally supposed to increase safety of all passengers. Electric cars tend to move in nearly complete silence, and the recent legislation calls upon manufacturers to develop audial warning systems to compensate for that.
Tesla vehicles can play back an assortment of custom sounds, including when there is no one in the car. They cannot be configured to make sounds when parked, though. Owners can use a mobile app to order the car to come closer, and it will play the sound while driving itself to the specified location at a low speed.
NHTSA found that sounds could be distracting and dangerous in the latter scenario, and required Tesla to ban them in the latest software update. Thanks to these updates being installed over the air, owners will be spared a visit to the dealership.
Users online have commented that they did not understand the logic behind the decision. Ideally, an EV producing any kind of audible warning when moving should be safer, rather than the opposite. There has been no detailed explanation from NHTSA yet.