- Autopilot system flaws
- Tesla recalls 2 million vehicles
- Over-the-air software update
Tesla recalls over two million vehicles after a US regulator discovered that Autopilot, the company’s driver assistance system, is partially flawed.
This follows a two-year investigation into accidents during the technology’s operation. Almost every Tesla sold in the United States since introducing the Autopilot feature in 2015 is subject to recall.
Elon Musk’s billionaire-owned Tesla announced that a software update would be distributed “over the air” to resolve the issue. Although the update is implemented automatically and does not require a visit to a dealership or garage, the US regulator continues to classify it as a recall.
The UK Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency was unaware of Tesla vehicle safety problems. However, UK cars may only have some US attributes.
A spokesperson for the agency stated, “Teslas sold in the United Kingdom are not autonomous and are not authorised to do so.” The agency will further observe the situation.
Although Autopilot is designed to assist the driver with acceleration, braking, and steering, it still requires manual intervention. Tesla’s software is responsible for verifying that operators are attentive. The function is intended to be used exclusively under suitable circumstances, such as while traveling on major thoroughfares.
A two-year investigation of 956 Tesla collisions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), concluded that “the visibility and extent of the controls may not be adequate to deter driver abuse.”
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NHTSA Vigilance and Tesla’s Response
“Automated technology has the potential to significantly enhance safety; however, its responsible implementation is crucial.” The NHTSA further stated that it would maintain surveillance of the updated software.
Tesla declined to comment in response to a request for comment. The recall notice states that the company expressed disagreement with the agency’s assessment but consented to incorporate additional precautions, such as verification processes for activating the autonomous driving functions, to address the issues.
A week before the recall, a former Tesla employee expressed his belief that the technology lacked safety. Lukasz Krupski said, following his receipt of the Blueprint Prize, an accolade bestowed upon individuals who expose wrongdoing, that “I do not believe the hardware is ready, but the software is.”
“It affects all of us because we are essentially experiments on public roads,” he asserted.
Mr. Krupski called the recall “a step in the right direction” but emphasised that the issue was not exclusive to the US. He stated that the technology in all Tesla vehicles in the United States, China, and other regions is identical.
Safety parameters
In response to a Washington Post article, Tesla defended the safety of Autopilot on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday. “Safety metrics are significantly higher with Autopilot engaged than without,” the article cited data indicating fewer collisions when the system was utilized.
Associate Professor Jack Stilgoe of University College London, an authority on autonomous vehicles, stated that Tesla should have allocated a longer duration to the system’s initial development. “The conventional way of ensuring safety is to check that a car is safe when it leaves the factory,” according to him.
However, despite this being the second recall impacting Tesla vehicles this year, Susannah Streeter of investment firm Hargreaves Lansdown stated that it should not significantly impede the automaker’s momentum: “This recall of 2 million vehicles is not expected to significantly dampen enthusiasm on its own.” Although the share price has declined marginally, it does not appear that a severe amount of drifting is imminent.
She added that recalls are routine in the car business and that the company can afford repairs.
Tesla has heavily pushed its self-driving technology and claims its future growth hinges on it. This month, analysts at Goldman Sachs projected that by 2030, Tesla’s most advanced Autopilot offering, fully autonomous driving, could generate annual revenue of over $50 billion, from the current $1 billion to $3 billion. The complete self-driving bundle costs $12,000 (or $199 per month) in the United States.
“In the end, autonomy will determine success,” Elon Musk told investors this summer.
Supplementary notifications
Critics assert that Tesla has contributed to risks by misrepresenting the capabilities of its software to customers. Other government investigations and lawsuits in the United States are being brought against the automaker concerning software-related collisions. However, in one of the initial cases to be tried, a jury determined that Tesla’s autonomous technology was not at fault.
The newly agreed-upon controls from Tesla should assist in preventing hazardous Autopilot usage by drivers. This is according to Professor Missy Cummings, director of the Autonomy and Robotics Centre at George Mason University.
However, she further stated that regulators “squandered an opportunity.” They did so by not requiring Tesla to disable Autopilot in unintended locations. The recall pertains to the Autosteer component of the Autopilot.
Automatic steering and “traffic-aware cruise control” help keep the automobile in the right lane. While holding the wheel, the driver must maintain vehicle control and be ready to take over from the assistance system.
When Autosteer is engaged, the vehicle’s systems detect whether or not the driver is attentive. If it determines that the driver is not present, it will issue warning alerts. Autosteer also generates notifications should the motorist attempt to operate it under unsuitable conditions.
As per the NHTSA recall report, the “over the air update” will incorporate supplementary warnings and surveillance “to encourage the driver to maintain consistent driving responsibility while Autosteer is engaged.”
