Tesla’s Autopilot is under investigation again following ‘recall’ software update

Tesla tin adhd yet different investigation into its Autopilot characteristic to what’s already piling up to beryllium a pretty bad twelvemonth for nan company.

On Friday, nan National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed it was opening a caller probe to measure whether nan callback hole Tesla implemented for complete 2 cardinal cars backmost successful December really did capable to reside information concerns surrounding its Autopilot driver assistance system.

That callback was prompted by a previous investigation NHTSA raised successful 2021 that reviewed hundreds of collisions and 13 fatalities allegedly involving Tesla’s Autopilot feature. NHTSA has now closed that aforesaid probe pursuing Tesla’s callback notice, finding that nan sanction “Autopilot” whitethorn “lead drivers to judge that nan automation has greater capabilities than it does.”

The agency besides recovered that Tesla’s Autopilot tin discourage drivers from taking manual power of nan conveyance compared to different automated driving systems because doing truthful deactivates Autosteer lane-centering assistance.

NHTSA’s caller investigation focuses connected nan software update Tesla rolled retired to hole these issues successful December, which prompts drivers pinch accrued warnings and alerts to salary greater attraction erstwhile utilizing Autopilot and Autosteer. Some of these remedies require Tesla owners to opt in, according to nan agency, and let them to reverse nan information updates if they choose. 

A number of caller collisions that person occurred since nan package update was applied person besides driven nan caller investigation, alongside tests NHTSA has conducted connected amended vehicles.

Updates to Autopilot that Tesla has rolled retired pursuing nan first hole are besides being evaluated to find why they weren't included successful nan first callback update. Every Autopilot-equipped Tesla conveyance produced betwixt 2012 and 2024 — including nan Cybertruck, which is already being recalled complete defective accelerator pedals — is taxable to nan caller probe.

This isn’t nan first clip that this package update has been scrutinized. Robotics master and erstwhile NHTSA elder information advisor Missy Cummings said nan callback remedy was “very vague” soon aft it was announced and would apt “not beryllium arsenic robust arsenic NHTSA would for illustration to see.” Tests from safety experts astatine Consumer Report besides recovered nan update “doesn’t spell acold capable to forestall misuse aliases reside nan guidelines causes of driver inattention.”