Tesla is recalling nearly 363,000 vehicles with its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system to address problems with the way it behaves around intersections and following posted speed limits. The recall is part of a larger investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) into the company’s automated driving systems. The FSD system, currently being tested on public roads by up to 400,000 Tesla owners, has been found to make unsafe actions such as traveling straight through intersections while in a turn-only lane, failing to come to a complete stop at stop signs, or going through an intersection during a yellow traffic light without proper caution.
The system may also not adequately respond to changes in posted speed limits or account for the driver’s adjustments in speed. According to NHTSA, this can increase the risk of a crash. Despite these concerns, Tesla has been testing the FSD system on public roads and has received 18 warranty claims that could be caused by the software from May 2019 through to September 12, 2022. However, the company has not reported any deaths or injuries.
Elon Musk (Via Elon Musk/Twitter)
Tesla has stated that the FSD beta software allows vehicles to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner, which increases the risk of a crash. However, the company has declined to agree with NHTSA’s analysis of the problem. As a result, the recall will involve an online software update in the coming weeks.
The recall covers certain 2016-2023 Model S and Model X vehicles, as well as 2017 through to 2023 Model 3s and 2020 through to 2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with the software or with installation pending. Tesla’s investors were unfazed by the news, with the company’s shares falling only about 2% in after-hours trading. However, the recall could have implications for the company’s Full Self-Driving technology and its investors’ expectations.
