U.S. auto security investigators are searching for detailed solutions and paperwork from Tesla in a probe into the automaker’s December recall of greater than 2 million automobiles to put in new Autopilot safeguards.
The Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) mentioned final month it was investigating after receiving reviews of 20 crashes involving automobiles that had the Autopilot software program updates put in underneath Tesla’s recall. The company’s letter mentioned it had recognized “a number of considerations” relating to the recall.
Tesla mentioned in December its largest-ever recall masking 2.03 million U.S. automobiles – or practically all of its automobiles on U.S. roads – was to higher guarantee drivers listen when utilizing its superior driver help system.
The NHTSA recall investigation covers fashions Y, X, S, 3 and Cybertruck automobiles within the U.S. outfitted with Autopilot produced between the 2012 and 2024 mannequin years.
Tesla, which didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark, has mentioned repeatedly that Autopilot doesn’t make automobiles self-driving and is meant to be used with a completely attentive driver who is ready to take over and has palms on the steering wheel.
NHTSA mentioned it had despatched Tesla an data request letter, which was made public on Tuesday, searching for particulars of the recall and paperwork by July 1.
NHTSA needs comparative information from Tesla on the efficiency of automobiles after receiving the recall together with the variety of palms on wheel warnings issued.
The company mentioned it had considerations after these 20 crashes in addition to outcomes from preliminary NHTSA checks of up to date automobiles following Tesla’s five-part recall treatment.
One challenge underneath investigation is Tesla’s recall permits drivers to set how they activate Autopilot by both permitting a single-pull or double-pull of the drive stalk.
NHTSA’s letter mentioned the single-pull activation of Autopilot “isn’t the default setting on automobiles that obtained the treatment within the subject” and testing “confirmed it was doable to make this modification whereas driving.”
Tesla has additionally made further updates to scale back crashes together with excessive velocity captive flip lane collisions that aren’t a part of the recall.
NHTSA mentioned it “will assess the timing and driving elements behind these updates, their impacts on topic car subject efficiency, and Tesla’s foundation for not together with them”.
Final month, NHTSA mentioned it discovered proof that “Tesla’s weak driver engagement system was not acceptable for Autopilot’s permissive working capabilities” and that this leads to a “crucial security hole.”
NHTSA mentioned throughout its Autopilot security probe launched in August 2021 that it had recognized a minimum of 13 Tesla crashes involving a minimum of one loss of life and lots of extra involving critical accidents wherein “foreseeable driver misuse of the system performed an obvious function.”
NHTSA famous Tesla’s December recall “permits a driver to readily reverse” the software program replace.
