Tesla recalls over 360 thousand cars «There are errors in the autonomous driving software»- Corriere.it

Tesla is recalling nearly 363,000 electric vehicles due to problems with driver assistance technology that could increase the risk of an accident. The recall affects a range of Tesla Model S, Model X, Model 3 and Model Y cars between 2016 and 2023 equipped with “Full Self-Driving Beta” technology — the so-called Autopilot system — said a notice from the regulator. check National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (Nhtsa). Problems with Tesla’s FSD Beta system mean cars can engage in maneuvers that “could potentially violate traffic laws or local customs, which could increase the risk of a collision if the driver fails to intervene,” the NHTSA said. The driver assistance system “may allow the vehicle to behave unsafely at intersections” by not stopping completely at a stop sign, traveling straight in a one-turn lane or turning on an orange traffic light, Nhtsa pointed out in a letter to Tesla. The system also “may respond poorly to changes in published speed limits.” To remedy the problem, Tesla will release a software update that can be implemented remotely as early as the next few weeks.

The cases

According to data collected by the US traffic agency the Autopilot software was activated in 11 cases in which a Tesla was involved in a traffic accident, causing a total of 17 injuries and one death. “The program manager left last year – underlines the Financial Times in an in-depth study dedicated to the case – and last Thursday a US labor control body received a complaint according to which several employees who work at Autopilot were were fired in retaliation for trying to form a union.”

The impact on future projects

The recall, which comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is part of a larger investigation into Tesla’s self-driving systems, and is the most serious action taken against the electric vehicle maker so far. Many questions also arise over the claims of CEO and founder Elon Musk, who claims he can demonstrate to regulators that cars equipped with “fully autonomous driving” are safer than humans and that humans almost never have to touch their commands. At one point Musk promised that a fleet of autonomous robotaxis would be in use in 2020. The latest action appears to be pushing this development further afield. The documents state that Tesla is carrying out the recall but does not agree with the agency’s analysis of the issue.

Investigation still open

Musk complained Thursday on Twitter, which he owns, that calling an over-the-air software update a recall is “anachronistic and just plain wrong!” A message was left Thursday asking for further comment from Tesla, which has dissolved its media relations department. Tesla received 18 warranty claims that could be caused by the software from May 2019 to September 12, 2022. But the company told the agency it was unaware of any events that led to the death or injury of passengers or the driver. . The investigation remains open and the recall does not address the full scope of what NHTSA is looking into, the agency said.