Tesla’s reputation as a car manufacturer might be in jeopardy. The brand has just recalled 2 million automobiles due to software issues.
New York Magazine is reporting that the Austin, Texas, based company announced that it will be recalling select 2012-2023 and all Model S vehicles, 2016-2023 Model X vehicles, all model year 2017-2023 Model 3 vehicles, and all model year 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. After a yearlong investigation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that the autopilot software can cause accidents due to driver misuse. Tesla denies that claim but has voluntarily offered customers free maintenance.
“In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, the prominence and scope of the feature’s controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse of the SAE Level 2 advanced driver-assistance feature. At no cost to customers, affected vehicles will receive an over-the-air (OTA) software remedy” a press release from Tesla read.
Luckily, owners of the aforementioned vehicles will not have to visit a Tesla dealership for service. The brand will remedy the software issue via download. “Affected vehicles will receive an over-the-air software remedy, which customers can install at their convenience. The owner does not need to schedule a service appointment.”
Lastly, Tesla confirms that the vehicles are still safe to drive. Founder and CEO Elon Musk has yet to comment on the matter. You can read Tesla’s recall statement here.