Tesla Releasing Update for Over 2 Million Vehicles

(USNewsBreak.com) – Tesla has become an increasingly popular car brand in the last several years as people try to switch from fossil fuels to clean energy. While some have touted the vehicles as a step forward in technology, critics point out a number of problems have riddled the cars. Now, a massive recall is putting the brand’s name on the line once again.

Tesla’s self-driving feature, Autosteer, has become one of the brand’s most notable selling points. Operators can put the vehicle on autopilot and let the car drive for them, including steering, braking, and accelerating on its own. However, Tesla cautions clients to pay attention in case something goes wrong and the driver must intervene. That warning hasn’t stopped deadly crashes from occurring. Now, the company is releasing an update for more than 2 million of its vehicles — nearly all of the ones sold in the US — because of an issue with the autopilot software.

BREAKING: Nearly every @Tesla sold in the United States is being recalled so the company can fix its defective system that's supposed to make sure drivers using Autopilot are actually paying attention. https://t.co/fwAhuRrHoZ

— KUTV2news (@KUTV2News) December 13, 2023

In a letter dated December 12, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sent a letter to the company claiming the controls are “insufficient to prevent misuse.” Specifically, the agency said, “In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged” and the driver isn’t paying adequate attention, “there may be an increased risk of a crash.”

This affects the following vehicles:

Model 3 – Years 2017 to 2023
Model S – Years 2012 to 2023
Model X – Years 2016 to 2023
Model Y – Years 2020 to 2023

To address the issue, Tesla must send out a software update to owners of the above vehicles, which will engage more warnings for drivers to pay attention and limit how drivers can engage the Autosteer function. Tesla disagreed with the NHTSA’s assessment and argued that the Autopilot feature actually made its vehicles safer.