Reuters, WASHINGTON – A little over two million Tesla (TSLA.O) cars are being recalled in the US so that additional security measures may be installed to stop the smart driver-assistance system called Autopilot from being abused.
For more than two years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been looking into whether Tesla vehicles, which are owned by billionaire Elon Musk, sufficiently guarantee that drivers pay attention when utilizing the driver assistance system.
The software system controls on Autopilot, according to Tesla, “may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse.”
Reuters was informed earlier this year by Acting NHTSA Administrator Ann Carlson that it’s “extremely important that driver monitoring systems take into account that humans over-trust technology.”
Tesla announced that it will “incorporate additional controls and alerts to those already existing on affected vehicles to further encourage the driver to adhere to their continuous driving responsibility whenever Autosteer is engaged.” The update will be distributed over-the-air via software, the company claimed.
In August 2021, the government initiated an investigation into Autopilot subsequent to detecting over twelve incidents in which Tesla automobiles collided with stationary emergency vehicles. Tesla ordered the recall, according to the NHTSA, after the agency’s research revealed that “Tesla’s unique design of its Autopilot system can provide inadequate driver engagement and usage controls that can lead to foreseeable misuse of the system.”
Though upgraded Autopilot can help with lane changes on highways, it does not transform automobiles into autonomous vehicles. Tesla’s Autopilot is designed to allow cars to steer, accelerate, and brake autonomously inside their lane.
Separately, the NHTSA has started over thirty-six special collision investigations against Tesla since 2016. In these incidents, when driving technologies like Autopilot were suspected of being deployed, 23 crash deaths have been reported.
According to the NHTSA, there may be a higher chance of a collision when the system is activated but the driver does not retain control over how the car is driven, is ill-prepared to stop, or is unable to tell when the system has been canceled.
Autopilot has been under NHTSA investigation since August 2021. While it tracks how well Tesla’s treatments are working, the agency’s probe will stay open.
According to the agency, the update will be implemented by the firm for 2.03 million Model S, X, 3, and Y automobiles.
A request for comment from the most valuable carmaker in the world was not immediately answered. Shares of the company were down 1% in premarket trade.
In 2017, the NHTSA concluded the previous Autopilot investigation without taking any further action. Tesla has been under fire from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for lacking Autopilot system protections, and the NHTSA has been accused for failing to guarantee Autopilot safety.