The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a recall for 362,758 Tesla vehicles equipped with its Full Self-Driving software.
The agency determined that the current version of the $15,000 system, which can handle many driving functions under human supervision, sometimes operates in potentially dangerous ways.
An investigation found that it can exceed speed limits, doesn't always stop for stop signs, and may go straight through intersections while driving in a turn-only lane in "certain and rare circumstances."
The voluntary recall affects certain versions of all four of Tesla's models built as far back as 2016.
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Tesla is expected to address the issue through an over-the-air software update that won't require the vehicles to be brought to a service center. The issues were discovered during part of a larger, ongoing investigation into the operation of Tesla's Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features.
NHTSA's report said that, "while not concurring with the agency’s analysis, Tesla decided to administer a voluntary recall out of an abundance of caution.z'
Tesla informed the agency that it has had 18 warranty claims related to the problem, but is unaware of any accidents or injuries.
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Exact timing for the update has not been announced, but owners will be mailed notifications no later than April 15.
Neither Tesla nor CEO Elon Musk have elaborated on what the remedy would be, but Musk tweeted, "The word ‘recall’ for an over-the-air software update is anachronistic and just flat wrong!"
NHTSA has been investigating Tesla's automated systems since June 2016 when a driver using Autopilot was killed after his Tesla went under a tractor-trailer crossing its path in Florida. A separate probe into Teslas that were using Autopilot when they crashed into emergency vehicles started in August 2021. At least 14 Teslas have crashed into emergency vehicles while using the Autopilot system.
NHTSA has sent investigators to 35 Tesla crashes in which automated systems are suspected of being used. Nineteen people have died in those crashes, including two motorcyclists.
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The agency also is investigating complaints that Teslas can brake suddenly for no reason.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
