Tesla has launched a large-scale recall campaign in China encompassing as many as 1,617,643 vehicles. According to Reuters, the local regulatory authorities found issue with the way the Autopilot self-driving tech was implemented.
CarNewsChina adds that nearly all Tesla EVs in existence in China – both locally assembled and imported – are affected. The main reason for the recall is that the Autopilot software fails to efficiently track driver attention while the self-driving mode is on. As a result, drivers may be tempted to get distracted from the road, potentially causing accidents.
In addition to this main issue, the recall is targeting roughly 7,500 Tesla EVs with faulty door lock mechanisms. These can come loose during an impact and cause the door to swing open, increasing the risk of injury.
The company will now have to repair nearly all EVs made since August 2014 until December 2023. Fortunately, most of the affected units will be fixed automatically by means of an over-the-air software update. Only those owners whose cars do not support OTA update functionality for some reason will have to visit a dealership for a wired reflash.