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Tesla has issued a voluntary recall of 285,000 Model 3 and Model Y cars in China due to an autopilot issue that could create an accident risk in extreme cases. However, the issue can be fixed through a software update, without car owners needing to take affected vehicles into a physical dealership.
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation announced that Tesla was recalling the cars through a software update, which would fix alleged safety issues with the driver-assistance systems in 285,520 of its Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in the country, CNBC reported.
The regulator said that drivers could mistakenly switch an active cruise control feature in affected vehicles on or off in certain situations, such as making a sharp turn. If the features were switched on unknowingly, a driver’s Tesla could suddenly accelerate in extreme cases leading to collisions, the recall notice said.
The recall covers 249,855 Model 3 sedans and Model Y crossovers manufactured by Tesla in Shanghai, along with 35,665 Model 3 vehicles manufactured by Tesla in the U.S. and imported to China.
Tesla has labeled the software update a recall, despite the vehicles not having to be taken into service centers, as it wanted to eliminate any safety risks identified.
In recent months, Tesla has suffered a number of setbacks in the Chinese market, including quality complaints, high-profile crashes, price changes, and recalls, CNBC reported. In response to the PR crisis, the company has reportedly reached out to social media influencers and asked them to remove critical posts.
However, Taylor Ogan of Boston-based hedge fund Snow Bull Capital — which is focused on new vehicle tech, told CNBC that the recall could even work in Tesla’s favor.
“Most cars have recalls, but not all car companies can offer a software patch without making you go into the physical dealership. Would-be buyers may see this as an advantage over competitors,” Ogan said.
In the U.S., Tesla is facing legal action for other issues including a class action lawsuit that alleges some Tesla batteries are defective and that the company deceives consumers about their capacity to avoid having to replace them under warranty.
Would you like to be able to fix a safety risk posed by your vehicle with a software update? Let us know in the comments section!
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