Tesla recalled nearly all of its vehicles sold in the U.S. on Wednesday to fix a flaw with its Autopilot self-driving feature.
About two million vehicles are impacted by the recall, consisting of all Tesla models Y, S, 3 and X produced between Oct. 2012 and last week. The recall follows a two-year investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) into wrecks reportedly caused by the software being used incorrectly.
The agency says its investigation found Tesla’s method of ensuring that drivers pay attention can be inadequate and may lead to abuse and a higher risk of crashes.
A software update will be pushed to users starting next week, according to recall documents. That update will change how Autopilot tracks drivers’ attention to make it more strict, provide more consistent warnings to drivers and limit where auto-steering features can be used.
“If the driver attempts to engage Autosteer when conditions are not met for engagement, the feature will alert the driver it is unavailable through visual and audible alerts, and Autosteer will not engage,” the documents said.
Tesla did not agree with NHTSA’s findings, the documents said, but accepted the vehicle recall and software update.
Autopilot is a marquee feature for Tesla, with the software able to move between lanes, accelerate and brake automatically. Despite its name, it is not a full self-driving system.
The software has been criticized over claims that it can be easily fooled so that a driver does not have to be as attentive as intended or not even sitting in the driver’s seat when moving.
The recall is the latest scrutiny into Tesla, which has been the subject of multiple recalls and safety investigations by NHTSA in recent years, including a previous recall of its self-driving software.
In a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday, NHTSA said the Tesla investigation remains open “as we monitor the efficacy of Tesla’s remedies and continue to work with the automaker to ensure the highest level of safety.”
In July, NHTSA questioned Tesla over a “secret” Autopilot feature allowing drivers to use the software without placing their hands on the wheel, dubbed “Elon mode” after the company’s owner — billionaire Elon Musk.
“The resulting relaxation of controls designed to ensure that the driver remain engaged in the dynamic driving task could lead to greater driver inattention and failure of the driver to properly supervise Autopilot,” the agency wrote.
The California Attorney General began its own investigation into the safety of Autopilot software and Tesla vehicles in July.
The Associated Press contributed.
