Tesla Recalls Over 2 Million Vehicles Due to Autopilot Safety System Flaws

In a significant development, Tesla has announced a recall of more than 2 million vehicles across its model lineup. The recall comes after an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that Tesla's autopilot safety system was "not sufficient to prevent driver misuse." The affected models include the 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y equipped with Autosteer, a feature Tesla describes as "traffic-aware cruise control."

According to the recall notice, there are certain circumstances in which the controls and features of the Autosteer system may not effectively prevent driver misuse. Autosteer, which maintains a set speed or following distance while detecting lane markings and other vehicles, requires drivers to keep their hands on the steering wheel and be prepared to take immediate action, even when using the feature.

The NHTSA initiated an investigation into Tesla's Autosteer system in August 2021 following 11 incidents involving the feature. Tesla cooperated with the agency over the next two years, but the investigation revealed that in certain situations, drivers using Autosteer "do not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and are unprepared to intervene." This lack of driver engagement increases the risk of crashes.

Despite Tesla's disagreement with the NHTSA's engineering analysis of the Autosteer issue, the company agreed to voluntarily recall and address the problem with a free software update. As of December 8, Tesla has identified nine warranty claims that "may be related" to the Autosteer issue. NBC News has reached out to Tesla for comment on the recall.

This recall poses a significant challenge for Tesla, which has long touted the safety of its Autopilot and "Full Self Driving" mode. In response to recent criticisms, Tesla tweeted on Monday, stating that "Safety metrics are emphatically stronger when Autopilot is engaged than when not engaged." However, this latest recall raises concerns about the overall effectiveness and reliability of Tesla's autonomous driving features.

The defective system in question aims to ensure that drivers using Autopilot are paying attention. The NHTSA's investigation found that Autopilot's method of ensuring driver attentiveness can be inadequate, leading to misuse of the system. The recall covers almost all Tesla vehicles sold in the U.S. between October 2012 and December 2023.

To address the issue, Tesla plans to send out a software update that includes additional controls and alerts to encourage drivers to adhere to their continuous driving responsibility. The update was initially sent to owners of affected vehicles on December 14. The NHTSA commended Tesla's efforts to improve automated systems by prioritizing safety.

It is worth noting that Autopilot is a driver-assist system and cannot drive autonomously, despite its name. While Autopilot can steer, accelerate, and brake automatically within its lane, drivers are ultimately responsible for maintaining control of the vehicle and must be ready to intervene if necessary. Independent tests have shown that Tesla's driver monitoring system can be easily fooled, allowing drivers to engage in dangerous behaviors such as driving drunk or sitting in the back seat.

The NHTSA has investigated a total of 35 Tesla crashes since 2016, suspecting that the vehicles were running on an automated system during these incidents. At least 17 people have been killed in these crashes. The agency has become more aggressive in pursuing safety issues with Tesla, announcing multiple recalls and investigations in the past year.

While the recall is a step towards addressing the safety concerns, the NHTSA has confirmed that its investigation into Tesla remains open as they monitor the effectiveness of Tesla's remedies and work with the automaker to ensure the highest level of safety.