Tesla recalls cars over self-driving issues

DETROIT (AP) — U.S. safety regulators have pressured Tesla to call nearly 363,000 vehicles equipped with its self-driving system to repair shops because it can malfunction at intersections and doesn’t always meet traffic rules. speed limits.

The recall, part of a larger National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigation into Tesla’s self-driving systems, is the most serious action to date against the electric car maker.

It also raises questions about automaker CEO Elon Musk’s claim that he can prove to regulators that cars equipped with fully autonomous driving are safer than humans and that humans hardly need touch controls.

In his day, Musk promised that by 2020 there would be a fleet of self-driving robotaxis. These latest actions appear to be delaying this progress.

In documents posted on its website Thursday, the security agency said Tesla would resolve the issues with an online software update in the coming weeks. According to this, the company has used workshops but does not agree with the analysis carried out by the agency.

The system, which is road-tested by up to 400,000 Tesla owners, can perform dangerous actions such as crossing an intersection with only one lane to turn, failing to completely stop at stop signs, or passing at an intersection with a light amber without proper caution, said NHTSA. These problems arise in “certain exceptional circumstances”, he added.

In addition, the system may not respond adequately to changes in posted speed limits or fail to take into account driver speed adjustments, the report adds.