Tesla Inc. will soon launch a recall campaign encompassing nearly all self-driving-capable EVs the company has sold since their 2015. According to Bloomberg, the corresponding application is already at the NHTSA and concerns nearly 2,000,000 units.
The issue lies in the inadequate tracking of the driver’s involvement by the on-board software. According to the standards, all semi-autonomous cars certified in accordance with the SAE Level 2 standard (this includes Tesla’s Autopilot and FSD systems) must ensure that the drivers keep their hands firmly on the steering wheel, monitor the situation at all times and stay ready to take over the controls if something goes awry.
At the same time, the sheer number of Autopilot-related incidents suggests that the drivers prefer to go about their business whenever they engage the Autopilot – watching movies, checking their phones and occasionally even taking naps.
Tesla cannot be blamed for this kind of irresponsible behavior on the drivers’ part, but it is still legally obligated to make sure that people are paying attention. To that end, the company will be rolling out an over-the-air update adding new warnings to the self-driving system. It will be installed remotely and spare you a visit to the care center.
All Model S sold in the United States since 2012, as well as all 2016 Model X units and newer, 2017 Model 3 and newer, and 2020 Model Y and newer are listed under the vehicles to be recalled.
It seems that the NHTSA may have forced Tesla to take these measures, and not without a good reason. The association has spent a few years probing into the safety standards adopted by the company. It has studied a grand total of 956 road incidents potentially linked to the cause and concluded that the Autopilot was to blame for a significant number of them.