Tesla is recalling nearly all vehicles sold in the US, more than 2 million, to update software and fix a defective system that’s supposed to ensure drivers are paying attention when using Autopilot. Documents posted Wednesday by US safety regulators say the update will increase warnings and alerts to drivers and even limit the areas where basic versions of Autopilot can operate.
The recall comes after a two-year investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into a series of crashes that happened while the Autopilot partially automated driving system was in use. Some were deadly.
The agency says its investigation found Autopilot’s method of making sure that drivers are paying attention can be inadequate and can lead to “foreseeable misuse of the system.”
