Tesla has recalled nearly all vehicles sold in the United States to fix a flaw in Elon Musk’s electric car company’s Autopilot driver assistance system. The move comes after Virginia authorities discovered the vehicle’s software had been activated during a previous fatal crash. July.
The recall of more than 2 million vehicles, reportedly the largest in Tesla history, was revealed as part of an ongoing investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The investigation, which began more than two years ago and includes an investigation into 956 crashes in which Autopilot was implicated, found that existing safety measures “may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the software.” It was determined that there is.
“In certain situations, when Autosteer is activated and the driver is not responsible for operating the vehicle and is not prepared to intervene if necessary, or when Autosteer is canceled or activated. Failure to recognize when it is not present can increase the risk of a crash,” NHTSA said in a release.
Electric car manufacturer announces recall This will consist of an over-the-air software update that was expected to be rolled out on Tuesday or a little later. This update applies to Tesla Model 3, Model S, Model X, and Model Y vehicles manufactured in certain years, including those dating back to 2012.
The vehicle will be provided with “additional controls and warnings” to remind drivers to take precautions when using Autopilot, such as keeping both hands on the steering wheel and keeping their eyes on the road.
Tesla shares fell more than 1.5% in Wednesday trading before closing up 1%.
The announcement came on the same day that Virginia officials revealed that Autopilot was being used. Pablo Teodoro III, 57, crashed his Tesla into a tractor-trailer, causing a fatal accident. Authorities also determined that the Tesla vehicle was speeding before the accident.
A spokeswoman for the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office said Teodoro appeared to have taken action a second before the accident, but it was unclear what he did.
The investigation also found that the car’s systems “recognized something on the road and sent a message.”
NHTSA is still investigating the crash.
The recall also Washington Post’s shocking report Tesla claimed it was allowing Autopilot to be used in areas the software was not designed to handle.
The media claimed to have found at least eight fatal or serious accidents involving Tesla Autopilot on roads where “driving assistance software cannot reliably operate,” such as roads with hills or sharp curves.
In response to this article, Tesla defended the safety of its Autopilot software with a lengthy argued that “we have a moral obligation to keep improving what is already the best product.” -In-class safety system. ”
“The data is clear: the more automation technology provided to support drivers, the safer they and other road users will be,” the company said.
Tesla President Elon Musk reiterated that Autopilot is safe to use and emphasized the company’s commitment to developing driver assistance and fully self-driving features as an important part of the company’s long-term plans.
with post wire
Source: nypost.com
