Tesla's "Full Self-Driving Beta" System Poses on-road Risks
At the request of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Tesla is recalling 362,758 vehicles equipped with its controversial “Full Self-Driving Beta” system. The recall includes 2016-2023 Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles, 2017-2013 Model 3, and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with the Full Self-Driving Beta option, which currently costs $15,000.
NHTSA says that the driver-assistance system, which offers “Autosteer on City Streets” poses “an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety,” and that it may allow the vehicle to act in an unsafe manner around intersections such as traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a complete stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without due caution. It could also not respond sufficiently to changes in posted speed limits.
Tesla to Address Issue with Over-the-Air Software Update
For owners, fortunately, the fix for the issues will be available with an over-the-air software update. The update will adjust the system’s yellow-light behavior, how it behaves at yellow lights, the way it reacts to posted speed limits and to the driver’s selected speed, and how it observes and interprets lane rules.
The recall does not address NHTSA’s investigation into the overall performance of Tesla’s Autopilot system, which motivated by a number of crashes in which Teslas operating with Autopilot engaged hit stationary in-road or roadside first responder vehicles. Upon opening the investigation, NHTSA indicated that its evaluation would also look at similar crashes of Tesla vehicles operating with Autopilot engaged, as well as assess the technologies and methods used to monitor, assist, and enforce the driver’s engagement with the Tesla cars during Autopilot operation.
Tesla will mail out owner notification letters by April 15, 2023, although owners don’t have to visit a Tesla dealer to have the update performed.
