Abraham Jewett  |  June 13, 2022

Category: Legal News

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Person driving a new Tesla Model 3 in autopilot mode.
(Photo Credit: TierneyMJ/Shutterstock)

Tesla Autopilot Crash Recall Overview: 

  • Who: Tesla may have to recall its vehicles containing autopilot depending on the result of a probe by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 
  • Why: The NHTSA announced recently that it is upgrading its investigation into Tesla vehicles equipped with automated driving systems following a series of crashes. 
  • Where: A Tesla autopilot recall would affect drivers nationwide. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has upgraded its probe into Tesla vehicles equipped with partially automated driving systems following a series of accidents. 

The heightened investigation into Tesla vehicles with autopilot may be a sign that the electric vehicle manufacturer is on the verge of having to initiate a recall, the AP reports

The NHTSA is currently investigating 830,000 Tesla vehicles, nearly every one sold in the United States since the start of 2014, with the agency focusing on the engineering analysis of its automated driving systems. 

Documents released by the NHTSA show drivers are using Tesla’s autopilot feature not only in areas where its capabilities are insubstantial but are also often ignoring warnings that would help them avoid a crash, the AP reports. 

The agency found 16 instances where a crash occurred with a truck or emergency vehicle. In the majority of the incidents, the Tesla driver received a warning in the form of a collision alert before the accident. 

NHTSA to explore if autopilot ‘exacerbates’ Tesla safety risks

The NHTSA says these potentially avoidable accidents led to 15 injuries and one death and that the vehicle’s autopilot system gave control back to the driver less than one second before the crash, the AP reports. 

In addition to evaluating data and vehicle performance, the agency says it will explore whether Tesla’s autopilot, along with related systems, actually “exacerbates” safety risks linked with human behavior. 

The agency’s engineering analysis is in its final stages and, according to the AP, a decision whether or not the Tesla vehicles should be recalled or if the probe will be closed should come within a year. 

Meanwhile, Tesla has recalled close to 130,000 of its Model S, 3, Y and X vehicles over concerns they were equipped with infotainment central processing units susceptible to overheating and losing proper function. 

Do you own a Tesla vehicle equipped with an autopilot feature? Let us know in the comments! 


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3 thoughts onTesla close to recall over autopilot crash risk

  1. Sejla Zulovic says:

    Having two Tesla’s I had experienced dangerous autopilot behaviors it would make that noise to make you extra stressed and alert but then the steering wheel is still frozen and jolts when you want to take control to steer in a different direction. Happened twice where I almost crashed. Another time I was on the highway and was on the last lane but the lane was ending and I needed to change to the lane next to me although there were no cars around it was stuck on autopilot and almost made me crash because it was giving me a hard to time get out of the lane.

  2. Lanitasha R Hinton says:

    Please add me

  3. Stan Shamitz says:

    I didn’t realize how dangerous the Tesla auto pilot is when I bought the car. I hope someone starts a class action suit to force Tesla to refund the money I paid. I won’t use it anymore and wouldn’t have bought it if I had known how dangerous it is.

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