Tesla has recalled over two million vehicles in the United States after a local regulator found that the Autopilot driver assistance system poses a risk to drivers and other road users.
The recall hones in on the ‘Autosteer’ feature, with local regulator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stating that its misuse may result in an “increased risk of a collision”.
“In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature’s controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature.”
Nearly every car Tesla has ever sold in the US is affected (2,031,220 units), including the Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y.
To remedy the issue, all applicable vehicles will receive an over-the-air software update which adds additional controls and alerts to ensure drivers maintain concentration when Autosteer is engaged, such as reminding them to keep their hands on the steering wheel. The update has already begun to roll out as of last week.
Tesla is currently facing several lawsuits over crashes relating to the automated driving feature, with the NHTSA launching an investigation into the matter over two years ago.
According to the Tesla Deaths database, via Business Insider, approximately 393 people have died in incidents relating to Teslas. Around 95 of those casualties were caused when the Autopilot feature was active or when the vehicle was on fire.
Tesla New Zealand has yet to announce whether the recall applies to vehicles sold locally.
