Tesla Calls Back Almost Every Vehicle Manufactured in the US for Autopilot Safety Concerns

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Each car provided with a steering-assist system contains numerous safety precautions to prevent distracted driving. Generally, the system will verbally alert you if you momentarily release your hands from the steering wheel. If this happens repeatedly or if you keep your hands off the wheel for an extended period, you’ll receive a final warning—typically resulting in the system deactivating and requiring you to regain full control. This is the standard operation for all SAE Level 2 autonomous driving aides, with the exception of Tesla’s Autopilot. As per the NHTSA, Tesla’s systems have not been effectively notifying drivers who remove their hands from the wheel, prompting the U.S. safety regulator to initiate a recall for all Tesla models equipped with Autopilot from 2012 up to now.

As indicated by reports, this encompasses over 2 million vehicles, or “virtually all of the vehicles Tesla sold in the U.S., including models Y, S, 3, and X manufactured between Oct. 5, 2012, and Dec. 7 of this year,” as stated by CBS News.

We’ve all witnessed videos of Tesla drivers moving to the backseat, vacating the driver’s seat while the vehicle navigates along a freeway. Due to the lenient system, owners have exploited and abused its privileges. Even when it does remind drivers to keep their hands on the wheel, owners have discovered numerous methods to deceive the system into believing they are in compliance. Some have even resorted to using steering wheel weights specifically designed to deceive the Tesla into registering that the drivers’ hands are on the wheel.

In 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) launched an inquiry into 11 incidents where a Tesla engaging Autopilot was involved in a collision. The investigation findings demonstrated to the NHTSA that if a driver “misuses” Autopilot’s autosteer system, there is an elevated risk of an accident. While Tesla did not agree with the NHTSA’s conclusion, it opted to voluntarily issue the recall.

Notably, the recall involves a straightforward software update, which will introduce “controls and alerts” to deter drivers from misusing the autosteer feature. This update will be performed over the air, eliminating the need for major repairs or for customers to visit service centers. However, the update is mandatory for all 2,031,220 S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y vehicles manufactured during the specified dates. It is essential to highlight that all models produced after December 7, 2023, will come pre-installed with the updated software.

Tesla’s Autopilot has been the subject of intense scrutiny for years, criticized for its relaxed stance on driver attentiveness and its failure to identify and avoid obstacles, traffic signs, pedestrians, and even approaching trains. While there is a distinction between Tesla’s standard Autopilot and its “Full Self-Driving Capability,” the NHTSA asserts that neither qualifies as a truly autonomous driving system. Even Tesla acknowledges that “Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability are designed for use with a fully alert driver who maintains contact with the wheel and is ready to assume control at any moment. Although these features are set to evolve and improve over time, the current functionalities do not render the vehicle autonomous.”

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