Tesla – Users have always found the idea of a car driving itself appealing, especially when there is traffic or a distance to travel.
It was only a concept at first, but Elon Musk and his company, Tesla, were able to make it a reality.
The response has been erratic with the adoption of the “Full Self Driving” assistance software.
Tesla’s self-driving capabilities forced it to recall a few cars last year.
This year, the business plans to recall even more automobiles.
The news
Tesla is reportedly recalling each of the 363,000 “Full Self Driving” cars in the US.
The fact that the company chose to base its decision on safety concerns is just another blow to Tesla’s main point of differentiation.
The autonomous driving capability steers, brakes, and accelerates the car while it travels on local roads using artificial intelligence.
Moreover, because the system has a propensity for making poor judgment decisions, it necessitates having a human driver on standby to take over at any time.
The problem
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has determined that Tesla’s FSD function poses an unreasonably high danger to motor vehicle safety due to a lack of dedication to traffic safety.
The group issued a warning that FSD could be able to transgress traffic regulations at crossings before motorists can react.
The NHTSA recently posted a recall on its website, writing:
“The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, such as traveling straight through an intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution.”
Fixing the system
According to the NHTSA letter, Tesla will spend $15,000 to patch its software over the air in order to fix the FSD function.
Elon Musk, the CEO, has not yet released a statement in the media on the situation.
Throughout his tweets, he has only ever used the word “recall” to refer to an OTA software update and to note that it is unreliable and out-of-date.
But, the NHTSA statement states that manufacturers are required to start a recall for fixes, including software upgrades, that reduce an excessively high safety risk.
Government representatives claim that they are currently assessing the efficacy of recall solutions.
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Affected models
The issues are reported in vehicles using the most recent FSD software version, according to the notice.
The software is used by the following four Tesla models:
- Model S
- Model X
- Model 3
- Model Y
The business uncovered 18 reports of accidents between May 8, 2019, and September 12, 2022, according to the letter, which might be tied to related events.
Tesla is not aware of any incidents that have caused injuries or fatalities, according to the NHTSA.
According to federal investigators, the Tesla driving assistance technology was apparently involved in 273 accidents.
Safety data
Due to the premiums clients pay for its amenities and its ability to entice customers with its vehicles, Tesla views FSD as the cornerstone of the company’s business plan.
While still being in development, Elon Musk and the business have insisted that the FSD is safer than manual automobiles.
In January, Musk told investors that the business had data from FSD customers who had driven more than 100 million miles off of highways.
“Our published data shows that improvement in safety,” said the CEO.
“It’s very clear. So we would not have released the FSD Beta if the safety statistics were not excellent.”
Tesla’s claims on safety, however, are rejected by safety experts.
High-profile incidents involving Tesla vehicles that used FSD and its predecessor, the “Autopilot,” have occurred.
Deaths have occurred as a result of several incidents.
The NHTSA is also looking into Autopilot.
In contrast to the “full self-driving” idea, the technology combines adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assist to maintain the automobile in its lane.
Future autonomous driving technology is something Tesla wants to work on.
Initial enquiries are not covered by the recall, despite the fact that it is intended to address a particular set of issues.
“Accordingly, the agency’s investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot and associated vehicle system remains open and active,” said its statement.
According to Tesla’s annual financial report, the US Justice Department requested papers relating to the company’s Autopilot and FSD technologies in January.
Image source: NPR
