Tesla Recalls 362,000 Vehicles Over Full Self-Driving Software Issue – CNET [CNET]

The software may cause accidents, the federal government says.

Tesla recalled over 362,000 vehicles because the Full Self-Driving software on these vehicles may cause accidents, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Thursday. 

The recall affects certain 2016-2023 Model S, Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3 and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with FSD beta software or vehicles pending installation of the software. 

The NHTSA wrote that the FSD beta software may cause vehicles to “act unsafe around intersections” by traveling through them while in turn-only lanes. The FSD beta software may also cause vehicles to not come to a full stop at stop sign-controlled intersections or to drive into an intersection during a steady yellow traffic signal without warning. Vehicles with the software may also not adequately adjust to posted speed limits or when a driver adjusts the vehicle’s speed.

The NHTSA wrote that Tesla will release an over-the-air software update to fix the issue free of charge in the coming weeks.

Tesla didn’t respond to a request for comment, but the automaker no longer operates a public relations department, which would typically field such requests.

The US Department of Justice requested documents from Tesla in January related to the automaker’s Autopilot and FSD software. The DOJ also launched a criminal probe into Tesla in 2021, according to Reuters. The 2021 investigation focused on Tesla’s Autopilot driver-assistance software, after multiple Tesla crashes, some of which were fatal.

Tesla’s FSD does not give a vehicle full self-driving capabilities. The system is an array of advanced driver aids, such as hands-free operation, that require a person to remain attentive while FSD is engaged. Tesla started offering FSD as a $15,000 add-on on top of the cost of the vehicle in September 2022.

For more, check out Tesla’s plan to grant non-Tesla EV drivers access to thousands of charging stations and Tesla’s record revenue in 2022.