Full Self-Driving issues prompt recall of more than 362,000 Tesla vehicles

February 17, 2023

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Tesla is recalling hundreds of thousands of vehicles equipped with its Full Self-Driving Beta software.

Tesla is recalling certain 2017-23 Model 3, 2016-23 Model S, 2016-23 Model X and 2020-23 Model Y vehicles.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents, the Full Self-Driving System may allow the vehicle to perform several unsafe maneuvers around intersections. Those include traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, failing to come to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution.

Additionally, the system may respond insufficiently to changes in posted speed limits or not adequately account for the driver’s adjustment of the vehicle’s speed to exceed posted speed limits.

Tesla plans to release an over-the-air software update for free. Notification letters to affected owners are expected to be mailed by April 15.

For questions, contact Tesla customer service at 877-798-3752 with recall number SB-23-00-001. NHTSA’s number for this recall is 23V-085.

FMCSA seeks feedback on automated driving systems

In related news, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published a supplemental advance notice of proposed rulemaking regarding the safe integration of automated driving system-equipped commercial motor vehicles.

The supplemental notice asks for the public to provide feedback in three areas.

Notification by motor carriers operating level 4 or 5 automated driving system-equipped commercial motor vehicles.
Oversight for remote assistants.
Vehicle inspection and maintenance.

The agency opened a 45-day comment period when the notice was published in the Federal Register. Comments are due on or before March 20. The public will be able to comment by going to Regulations.gov and entering Docket No. FMCSA-2018-0037.

In November 2020, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association sent a letter to NHTSA expressing its concerns over Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system. In its letter, OOIDA pointed out that the majority of truck-involved crashes are caused by passenger vehicles. Consequently, misleading technology like Tesla’s autonomous system jeopardizes the safety of truckers and other motorists.

“Therefore, we are dismayed with the administration’s lack of oversight of automated driving technologies currently deployed on public roadways that jeopardize truckers’ safety,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer wrote. “The use of unfinished and unproven automated technologies poses a significant threat to small-business truckers, and we urge you to take action to protect all road users and promote greater transparency and oversight of their development.” LL