Tesla Inc.’s stock fell nearly 2% Wednesday, after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said the electric-vehicle company was recalling more than 2 million vehicles due to Autopilot control issues.
“In certain circumstances when Autosteer is engaged, and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash,” the agency said in a recall notice.
Autosteer is one of the features of Autopilot, Tesla’s
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suite of advanced driver-assistance systems meant for highway driving. Tesla will fix the issue with an over-the-air software update, the NHTSA said.
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Included in the recall are Model S sedans made between 2012 and 2023, Model X SUVs made between 2016 and 2023, Model 3 compact sedans made between 2017 and 2023, and Model Y compact SUVs made between 2020 and 2023.
Tesla’s Autopilot — and, more recently, Full Self Driving, Tesla’s ADAS suite for city driving — have been under criticism for implying bigger capabilities than they have in reality. The company has maintained that it makes clear that drivers have to be alert at all times and not fully rely on the automation.
The ADAS systems have been the focus of numerous federal and state investigations, including ongoing probes from NHTSA and reportedly from the California attorney general’s office. In October, Tesla disclosed a Justice Department investigation into both Autopilot and Full Self Driving.
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Meanwhile, the stock has gained 92.4% in the year to date, compared with a 21% gain for the S&P 500
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