(December 13, 2023) Tesla is recalling more than 2 million vehicles after a years-long National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defect investigation. A NHTSA spokesperson said the probe found that Tesla’s means for keeping drivers engaged were inadequate and could lead to "foreseeable misuse." A NHTSA spokesperson said the probe found that Tesla’s means for keeping drivers engaged were inadequate and could lead to "foreseeable misuse."

"Specifically, the investigation found that Tesla’s unique design of its Autopilot system can provide inadequate driver engagement and usage controls," the spokesman said.

“Automated technology holds great promise for improving safety, but only when it is deployed responsibly,” NHTSA said Wednesday. “Today’s action is an example of improving automated systems by prioritizing safety.”

The recall is the second this year involving Tesla’s automated-driving systems, which have come under escalating scrutiny after hundreds of crashes, some of which resulted in fatalities. While CEO Elon Musk has for years predicted the carmaker is on the verge of offering complete autonomy, both Autopilot and the beta features Tesla markets as Full Self-Driving require a fully attentive driver to keep their hands on the wheel.

Autopilot comes standard on every new Tesla. It uses cameras to match vehicle speed with surrounding traffic and assists drivers with steering within clearly marked lanes.

Tesla has marketed higher-level functionality that it calls Full Self-Driving since late 2016. That suite of features was recalled in February, after NHTSA raised concerns about cars using the system traveling in unlawful or unpredictable ways, including exceeding speed limits, traveling straight through intersections in turn-only lanes and not coming to complete stops.

Source: Bloomberg News