The federal government's main auto safety agency said Friday that Tesla is recalling its Autopilot driver-assistance system, saying the company has taken sufficient steps to ensure driver alertness while using the technology. Regulators are concerned that the company is not taking appropriate measures, so they announced they are conducting an investigation.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a document posted on its website that it is investigating Tesla's December recall of 2 million vehicles, which includes nearly all vehicles the company has manufactured in the U.S. since 2012. It was said that it was targeted at They were concerned about crashes that occurred after the recall and the results of preliminary tests on recalled vehicles.
The investigation adds to the list of headaches for Tesla, the dominant U.S. electric car maker. The company's sales in the first three months of this year fell more than 8% from a year earlier, the first decline since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tesla announced in December that an investigation by the Automobile Safety Administration found the automaker did not take sufficient safety measures to ensure that systems that can accelerate, brake and otherwise control the car worked. In response, the company announced a recall of its Autopilot software. It was used safely by drivers who were supposed to be ready to use Autopilot and take back control of the car at any time.
The agency said it has confirmed at least 13 fatal accidents related to the use of Autopilot. The company also faces lawsuits from individuals who claim the system is flawed and its design contributed to or is responsible for serious injuries or deaths.
The recall involves an over-the-air software update that displays more prominent visual alerts and checks when drivers are using Autopilot to remind them to keep their hands on the wheel and pay attention to the road. Includes: The recall applies to all five Tesla passenger car models (3, S, X, Y, and Cybertruck).
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.
The Automobile Safety Administration said Friday that it challenged Tesla's decision to allow customers to agree to the recall and revert the changes. Tesla also appears to have announced other updates that address issues related to the recall that the company and safety authorities did not agree to in advance.
“This investigation will consider why these updates were not part of a recall or determined to fix the flaws that posed an unreasonable safety risk,” the agency said in a notice. I mentioned it in the.
Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk have long bristled at criticism of Autopilot and its more advanced systems, which the company calls “full self-driving.” They argue that neither system makes the car autonomous, but rather makes it safer, blaming the driver for crashes and problems.
Automakers are also under scrutiny from safety regulators for other issues.
The Automobile Safety Administration announced last week that Tesla has agreed to recall about 4,000 Cybertruck pickup trucks. The agency said soap was used as a lubricant when assembling the truck, which could lead to the gas pedal sticking. The automaker is not aware of any injuries or accidents related to the defect.
In February, Tesla recalled more than 2 million vehicles because the font size on the warning light panels was too small.
The company has struggled to maintain its dominance in the electric vehicle market as new and established automakers introduce new models around the world. Tesla's share of the U.S. electric vehicle market fell to 51% in the first quarter from 62% a year earlier.
Musk told employees this month that Tesla would cut more than 10% of its workforce. Two senior executives also announced they would be leaving the company.