top of page

Tesla's Recall of Vehicles with Autopilot Defect by Elon Musk in the US

Lanon Wee

Tesla is initiating a recall of over two million vehicles after the US regulatory body identified substandard performance from their Autopilot driver assistance system. A two year investigation into incidents involving the technology has been completed. Almost all Tesla cars sold in the US since the introduction of the Autopilot feature in 2015 are subject to the recall. Tesla, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, announced that they would be sending a software update wirelessly to fix the issue. The update occurs without a need to go to a dealer or service station, yet it is still viewed by the US regulatory body as a recall. The BBC has sought information from the UK Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency regarding the implications for Tesla drivers in the UK. Autopilot is designed to aid in the control of steering, acceleration, and braking, but, despite its moniker, the car still requires input from the driver. The NHTSA declared a recall caused by a complication with Autopilot's driver monitoring system, which determines if the driver is focusing. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) conducted an "extensive" two year inquiry and looked into 956 reported collisions involving the Autopilot feature. The inquiry has ended with this product recall, and Tesla admitting that the system's monitors "may not be sufficient to prevent improper use by drivers". The NHTSA expressed that automated technology has the potential to be beneficial in terms of increased safety, but only when used carefully. They added that they would keep a close watch on the software once it had been modified. A week prior to this, a former Tesla employee informed the BBC that he felt the tech was not secure. Lukasz Krupski, upon receiving the Blueprint Prize - an accolade awarded to whistleblowers - proclaimed to the BBC that he believes both the hardware and the software are not prepared. He claimed that it impacts all of us because we are essentially experiments on public roads. In response to the recall announcement, Mr Krupski stated to the BBC that it was "favorable progress" but highlighted that this was not just an issue in America.. He stated that all Tesla's in the US, China, etc. have the same hardware. Tesla has yet to reply to the BBC's ask for a comment; however, on Tuesday they defended the security of Autopilot in a post on X (formerly Twitter) in reaction to a Washington Post post. It was stated that safety metrics are notably more effective when Autopilot is turned on compared to when it is not. This was illustrated by the data which indicated that there were fewer crashes when the system was enabled. Jack Stilgoe, an associate professor at University College London studying self-driving vehicles, asserted that Tesla should have devoted more attention to the system's development initially. He informed the BBC that the traditional approach to confirming safety is making sure that a vehicle is secure when it is manufactured. Despite this recall being the second this year to affect Tesla cars, Susannah Streeter of Hargreaves Lansdown investment firm believes it shouldn't significantly interfere with the automaker's progress. It appears unlikely that the recall of two million cars will have a significant dampening effect. There has been a slight decrease in the share price but it doesn't seem likely to cause a significant decline." She further stated that, given that vehicle recalls are commonplace and the organization has the means to invest in solutions, this is not a surprise. The focus of the recall is Autosteer, a component of Autopilot. Autosteer assists in keeping the car in its specified lane while "traffic-aware cruise control" matches the velocity of the car to the flow of the other vehicles. The driver is anticipated to keep their hands on the wheel and be prepared to override the assistive system when necessary. When Autosteer is activated, the car's systems constantly monitor that the driver is paying attention. Warning alerts will be given if the driver is not present; also if the driver tries to use Autosteer in unsuitable situations. Tesla's recall documents presented to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicate that the "over the air update" will install further warnings and vigilance "to push drivers to meet their consistent driving duties when Autosteer is enabled."

0 comments

Comments


We help clients solve critical operational, business & financial issues using innovative technologies such as Web3 & Blockchain.

Address:

20 CECIL STREET, #05-03, PLUS, Singapore 049705

2023 Intric Technologies Pte Ltd

bottom of page