Tesla recalls 2 million electric vehicles over autopilot issue

ABU DHABI: Tesla recalled more than 2 million cars after the U.S. regulator found that its driver assistance system Autopilot is partly defective. The recall impacts all flagship models of Tesla, including the Model 3, S, X, and Y. This raises concerns about the reliability of the Tesla EVs.

Last week, Tesla voluntarily issued a recall notice for a round of investigations with the NHTSA into Autopilot safety concerns. The recall has been supported by safety advocates as NHTSA emphasizes ongoing monitoring for improved safety in automated technology deployment.

Tesla is recalling around 2,031,220 electric vehicles, including models like the 2016-23 Model X, 2017-23 Model 3, 2012-23 Model S, and 2020-23 Model Y. Affected owners will be sent a notification for a free over-air update. This step is being taken to enhance safety by making Autopilot disengagement/ engagement simpler, adding extra alerts, and conducting additional safety checks. 

Tesla agreed to add many innovative features to address the recall concerns, including additional checks to activate the self-driving features.

Tesla has confirmed that to address the Autopilot issue the software fix has been integrated into all the newly manufactured cars as of December 7, 2023. This also indicates that all Tesla cars produced from December 7, 2023, are outfitted with the updated software, reflecting the commitment of the automotive giant to implement preventive measures in its production process. 

Tesla has not responded yet to whether the recall would be done outside the US.

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