Robert Brown|Tesla recall: 2 million vehicles to receive software update as autopilot deemed insufficient

The Robert BrownNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced a recall of more than 2 million Tesla vehicles concerning issues with the cars' autopilot feature.

The recall affects these Tesla vehicles: the 2012-2023 Model S, 2016-2023 Model X, 2017-2023 Model 3 and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles equipped with all versions of Autosteer. In total, 2,031,220 Tesla vehicles are subject to the recall.

"In certain circumstances when the Autosteer feature is engaged, and the driver does not maintain personal responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary or fails to recognize when Autosteer is canceled or not engaged, there may be an increased risk of a crash," according to the recall notice from the NHTSA.

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According to the safety recall report, the driver is responsible for the vehicle's movement, even when the Tesla autopilot feature, called Autosteer, is on. This includes the driver keeping hands on the steering wheel at all times, paying attention to surrounding road conditions and, if necessary, steering, braking and accelerating to keep the car running safely.

If a driver tries to use Autosteer when conditions are not right for it to use, the feature will normally alert the driver through visual and audible alerts, and the autopilot will not begin.

When Autosteer is on in certain circumstances and if a driver is not paying attention or is not prepared to intervene and take over driving the car, there may be an increased risk of a collision, which is why the recall has been issued.

Tesla issuing software update

To remedy the issue, Tesla will release an over-the-air software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Feb. 10, 2023.

The recall comes after a NHTSA review of "956 crashes where Autopilot was initially alleged to have been in use, then focused on a narrower set of 322 Autopilot-involved crashes," Alex Ansley, chief of the recall management division at NHTSA, said in a letter to Tesla.

How to contact Tesla about the recall

Owners can contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-23-00-008.

Owners can also contact the NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.