Tesla has recalled nearly 363,000 cars in the US to revise its Full Self-Driving Beta software after US regulators said the system could cause crashes or act “in an unlawful or unpredictable manner”.
The recall, which affects every Tesla Model S, Model 3, Model Y and Model X in the US equipped with the software, has been issued by the country’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The NHTSA said the software – which enables cars to autonomously change lanes, park, slow or accelerate based on traffic signs and lights, and, in the future, automatically steer through city streets – would allow cars to “exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner”, which would “increase the risk of a crash”.
It also said the software would allow a car to “enter 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”.
Tesla’s FSD software is a $15,000 option in the US. Following the announcement yesterday, shares for the technology firm and car maker, led by billionaire Elon Musk, dropped by 1.6% to $210.76.
Customers will be supplied with an over-the-air software update to solve the issue.
The NTSA said the software update had to improve how the system negotiated certain driving manoeuvres.
According to Reuters, Tesla disagreed with the NHTSA’s verdict but went ahead with the association’s request to recall the vehicles.
This isn’t the first time that Tesla has recalled vehicles because of its FSD software. It recalled 54,000 vehicles last year in the US because they wouldn’t come to a complete stop at intersections when the system was active.
An investigation into the Autopilot software of 830,000 vehicles that started in 2021 is also still ongoing, following a series of Teslas crashing into stationary emergency vehicles.
The huge recall comes just weeks before Tesla’s Investor Day event on 1 March. It’s expected the company will detail its next-generation EV platform and reveal further information about its plans to integrate artificial intelligence.
Its Cybertruck pick-up is also finally slated to enter production later this year, while the Roadster supercar and Robotaxi are still in development.