Tesla is recalling 362,758 cars after finally admitting that its Full Self-Driving software beta may actually cause crashes, as announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Thursday.
Recalling Teslas
The NHTSA mentioned the risk of exceeding the speed limit or traveling through intersections in an "unlawful or unpredictable manner" could increase the possibility of a crash. The agency is investing a lot of its resources into the investigation, according to acting head Ann Carlson.
They added that the resources require a lot of technical expertise and legal novelty so they are moving as fast as they can without compromising the investigation, and are being careful to be sure of having all the information they need, as mentioned in Engadget.
The agency already launched an investigation back in back in August concerning the Full Self-Driving System. It was prompted by the many cases of highway accidents and social media posts showing the unusual behavior of the feature.
The Super Bowl ad showing how faulty the FSD software may have pushed the NHTSA to look into the matter again. The ad shows a Tesla Model 3 in Full Self-Driving mode failing to do what Tesla claims FSD is capable of.
The car used in the experiment appears to have disregarded the obstacles and signs on the road. Test mannequins were used to show just how effective the software can be, and the vehicle ran over the mannequin made to look like a child crossing the street.
It also ignored several stop signs on the road including one shown as the side of a yellow school bus. Dan O'Dowd, the tech billionaire who paid $7 million to show the ad to 100 million people watching the Super Bowl, called the attention of the NHTSA in a tweet, and it may have worked.
Tesla's Full Self-Driving Mode
The EV manufacturer claims that the FSD feature is the combined functionality of the Autopilot and the Enhanced Autopilot features. Unique to the Full Self-Driving mode is the upcoming autosteer function on city streets, and the beta Traffic and Stop Sign Control.
The Enhanced Autopilot integrated within FSD is capable of Auto Lane Change, which assists in shifting to another lane on the road when the driver uses the indicator. The Autopark function also helps with parallel or perpendicular parking of the user's car.
It also boasts of the Summon and Smart Summon features, where a driver can move their car out of tight spaces using the mobile app, even through complex environments. The car will maneuver around objects and drive to you in a car park or within the direct vicinity.
The ad shows a couple of things that Tesla will need to work on more. For instance, the company says that the Automatic Emergency Braking did not work as the test mannequin passed by and rammed it instead.
The recall includes models like the 2016 to 2023 Model S, Model X, 2017 to 2023 Model 3, and the 2020 to 2023 Model Y vehicles that have the Full Self-Driving beta software or are due for installation.
