Tesla is recalling more than two million vehicles over safety concerns regarding its autopilot feature, reported the Wall Street Journal. The recall comes amid a two-year probe by U.S. auto-safety regulators concerning crashes that involve the driver-assistance technology.
As part of its investigation that opened in 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that it reviewed 956 crashes where autopilot was said to be used. The agency said that Tesla’s autopilot system may not have sufficient controls in place to prevent misuse and that there is an increased risk of a crash when the autopilot is engaged.
The recall covers some Tesla Models 3, S, X and Y that were sold in the United States between 2012 and 2023, the Journal reported. Tesla will offer owners a free software update.
The autopilot system comes standard on new Teslas. According to the Journal, the technology does not make vehicles autonomous but instead serves to help drivers with tasks such as steering and maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles on the highway.
On a post to X [formerly Twitter], Tesla stated that driving with the autopilot system engaged is safer than driving without, citing that the company recorded one crash for every 4.85 million miles driven in which autopilot technology was used, while it recorded one crash every 1.4 million miles driven without the technology.
Automaker General Motors has faced various setbacks in the EV market, including its autonomous vehicle business Cruise, which California regulators pulled off the roads following an accident involving a pedestrian.
The company announced that it is delaying investment in EV production and scrapping output targets as consumer demand wanes, as well as pushing back the opening of an electric-truck factory in Detroit. Despite the setbacks, chief financial officer Paul Jacobson remains optimistic about General Motor’s EV business, stating that the automaker looks to adapt as consumer preferences shift, reported the Journal.
Jacobson noted that the company’s overall strategy has not changed as EV demand is still growing, just not as fast as it was. The company expects to reach production capacity in North America for one million EVs by the end of 2025.