Tesla Recalls 2 Million Vehicles in the U.S. Over Autopilot Safety Concerns: Urges Drivers to Stay Alert and Avoid Autosteer Misuse

Tesla Recalls vehicles to misuse Autopilot:

Tesla has issued a recall notice for approximately 2 million vehicles in the United States in order to ensure that drivers pay attention when using autopilot and to prevent drivers from misusing Autosteer.

The NHTSA announced the recall in a letter to Tesla.

On Tuesday, December 12, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a statement emphasizing that Autopilot Controls are not sufficient to prevent misuse. The Basic Autopilot package includes advanced driver assistance features at SAE Level 2, such as Autosteer and Traffic-Aware Cruise Control (TACC). Drivers can choose to use these features within certain defined operating limitations.

Autosteer, as an SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature, works in coordination with TACC to provide steering, braking, and acceleration support under specific operating conditions. It is designed for use on controlled-access highways, excluding the Autosteer on City Streets feature.

When Autosteer is engaged, the driver remains the operator of the vehicle. The driver is responsible for steering with hands on the wheel, staying attentive to the road, and intervening (steering, braking, accelerating, or using the stalk) as necessary for safe operation. Autosteer constantly monitors the driver’s engagement, ensuring continuous responsibility for the vehicle.

If a driver attempts to engage Autosteer when conditions aren’t suitable, the system alerts them visually and audibly, and Autosteer remains inactive. Similarly, if the driver uses Autosteer in conditions where its functionality is limited or compromised due to environmental factors, the system warns the driver through visual and audible signals. The NHTSA announced the recall in a letter to Tesla.

Tesla is taking preventative measures by recalling certain Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y vehicles manufactured between October 5, 2012, and December 7, 2023. This recall applies to vehicles equipped with Autosteer; a feature designed to help drivers in certain situations.

The reason for the recall is that when Autosteer is activated, the controls for this advanced driving assistance feature may not be clear enough, potentially leading to driver misuse. Tesla is committed to resolving this issue in order to ensure the safety and proper operation of Autosteer.

Owners of affected vehicles will receive a free software update over the air. This update will improve existing Autosteer controls and alerts in order to better guide drivers and emphasize their ongoing responsibility to supervise the vehicle while Autosteer is engaged.

It’s worth noting that this recall only affects vehicles in the United States. Tesla is committed to quickly resolving this issue and keeping its customers informed and safe.

What is Autopilot Technology?

Autopilot is an enhanced driving convenience and safety technique. Autopilot reduces you’re driving workload when used properly. Every new Tesla vehicle has multiple external cameras and powerful vision processing as standard equipment to increase safety.

Autopilot includes the following features and functionality

• • Traffic-Aware Cruise Control: Your car matches its speed with the flow of traffic around you.
  • Autosteer: This feature helps you steer within well-marked lanes, working together with the Traffic-Aware Cruise Control.
  • Navigate on Autopilot: From entering the highway to exiting it, this feature actively guides your car. It suggests lane changes, navigates interchanges, signals turn, and takes the correct exit.
  • Auto Lane Change: When Autosteer is on, this feature helps you smoothly move to an adjacent lane on the highway.
  • Autopark: With just a touch, your car can automatically parallel or perpendicular park itself.
  • Summon: Use your mobile app or key to make your car move in and out of tight spaces effortlessly.
  • Smart Summon: This advanced feature allows your car to navigate complex environments and parking spaces, avoiding obstacles to find you in a parking lot.
  • Autosteer on City Streets: Autosteer works its magic even on city streets for a more hands-free experience.
  • Traffic and Stop Sign Control: Your car identifies stop signs and traffic lights, automatically slowing down and stopping with your supervision.

Additional active safety features

• • Automatic Emergency Braking:
    • What it does: Recognizes potential collisions with cars or obstacles and automatically applies the brakes.
    • Why it matters: Swift action to prevent or minimize impact in emergency situations.

• • Forward Collision Warning:
    • What it does: Alerts you about possible collisions with slower or stationary vehicles ahead.
    • Why it matters: Early warnings give you time to react and avoid accidents.

• • Side Collision Warning:
    • What it does: Warns of potential collisions with obstacles alongside your car.
    • Why it matters: Keeps you informed of threats from the sides, enhancing overall safety.

• • Obstacle Aware Acceleration:
    • What it does: Automatically reduces acceleration when an obstacle is detected at low speeds.
    • Why it matters: Helps prevent collisions when driving at slower speeds.

• • Blind Spot Monitoring:
    • What it does: Alerts you when a car or obstacle is detected while changing lanes.
    • Why it matters: Enhances awareness to avoid blind spot-related incidents.

• • Lane Departure Avoidance:
    • What it does: Applies corrective steering to keep your car in the intended lane.
    • Why it matters: Helps maintain proper lane position, reducing the risk of unintentional drifting.

• • Emergency Lane Departure Avoidance:
    • What it does: Steers your car back into the driving lane when it detects a potential collision due to lane departure.
    • Why it matters: A crucial intervention to avoid collisions when your car is unintentionally leaving its lane.

Limitations of Autopilot

Autopilot’s performance can be affected by various factors, leading to the system not working as intended. These factors include challenges like poor visibility caused by heavy rain, snow, fog, etc., intense light from oncoming headlights or direct sunlight, adverse weather conditions such as mud, ice, and snow, interference or obstruction by objects mounted on the vehicle (like a bike rack), and obstacles created by applying excessive paint or adhesive products (wraps, stickers, rubber coating, etc.) onto the vehicle.

Additionally, Autopilot may face difficulties on narrow, highly curved, or winding roads, as well as when the vehicle has a damaged or misaligned bumper. Extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, can also pose challenges to the system.

To ensure optimal functioning of the Autopilot hardware and to obtain accurate information, it is crucial to keep the cameras and sensors clean and free from obstructions or damage. Regularly wipe the cameras and sensors with a soft cloth dampened with warm water to remove any accumulated dirt. This maintenance practice contributes to the effective operation of Autopilot by ensuring the sensors have a clear view of the surroundings.

Tesla Autopilot Concerns Rise: Recent Incidents and Fatalities Spark Safety Questions

• March 2023 Incident:
  • A Tesla on Autopilot failed to slow down and hit a teenager at 45 mph as they exited a North Carolina school bus.

• Previous Incidents:
  • In 2016, a Tesla collided with a semi-truck on a U.S. route in Florida.
  • Another tragic event involved a Tesla on Autopilot speeding through a T intersection at 70 mph, resulting in a fatal outcome for Benavides Leon and severe injuries to Angulo.

• Autopilot in Unintended Environments:
  • Notably, the Autopilot incident occurred on a rural road where Tesla’s technology wasn’t intended to be used.
  • Dash-cam footage revealed the Tesla ignoring a stop sign, blinking light, and five yellow signs indicating the road’s end, emphasizing the importance of driver intervention.

• Fatalities and Concerns:
  • The death of Pablo Teodoro III, aged 57, marks the third fatality since 2016 involving a Tesla on Autopilot colliding with the underside of a passing tractor-trailer.
  • These incidents raise critical questions about the safety of Tesla’s partially automated system and the suitable locations for its operation.

Tesla Announces Recalled Vehicles: Swift Resolution Over-the-Air Fix for Customer Safety at No Extra Cost

At no extra cost to our valued customers, we’re addressing the issue with a simple over-the-air software fix for affected vehicles. The rollout is set to commence on or around December 12, 2023, starting with vehicles equipped with an in-cabin camera and Autopilot Hardware 3.0 or Autopilot Hardware 4.0, under software version 2023.44.30. For the remaining affected vehicles, including those with Autopilot Hardware 3.0 without an in-cabin camera, and vehicles with Autopilot Hardware 2.5, Autopilot Hardware 2.0, or Autopilot Hardware 1.0, rest assured, the over-the-air software solution will be available at a later date.

All customers can check if their VIN is affected by using either the Tesla VIN Recall Search or NHTSA VIN Recall Search tools.

Also read: Tesla Cybertruck Update 2023: Exciting Features, Specifications, Capacity and Crash Test Enhancements