Elon Musk's other company now has another software-based recall to deal with, and it relates to some reported dangerous behaviors by the robot cars when in "Full Self-Driving" mode.
Responding to a new report and a letter from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Tesla announced it would recall all 362,758 vehicles that are equipped with the full-self-driving (FSD) software. This is the third recall Tesla has made relating to the software since it came out in beta mode — and the first since it became more widely available to existing Tesla owners.
As the Associated Press notes, Tesla says it is complying with the recall "but does not agree with an agency analysis of the problem."
"The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution,” the NHTSA wrote in a recall notice posted to its website. “In addition, the system may respond insufficiently to changes in posted speed limits or not adequately account for the driver’s adjustment of the vehicle’s speed to exceed posted speed limits.”
Tesla will conduct the recall via a wireless update to its software, as it has in the past. Tesla owners will receive notice of the update by April 15, the company says.
As the Washington Post reports, Tesla previously issued recalls for the software due to abrupt stopping while at highway speeds, and a "rolling stop" function that kept the cars from making full stops at every stop sign. But this is the widest recall Tesla has done to date.
The issues cited by the HSTSA don't include whatever happened here in the Yerba Buena Tunnel of the Bay Bridge around Thanksgiving — wherein a Tesla, possibly in FSD mode, stopped short and caused an eight-car pileup.
The HSTSA notes, in its recall notice, that Tesla has not received any reports of injuries or deaths in connection with these apparent software flaws.
Tesla's stock price was down 3.14% Thursday afternoon, following the news.
Meanwhile, CEO Elon Musk is reportedly very concerned about how many people can see his tweets.
Photo: Charlie Deets
