New York
CNN
—
Tesla is recalling greater than 120,000 of its automobiles as a result of unlocked doorways could open throughout a crash, rising the chance of damage, according to safety regulators.
The defect impacts some 2021-2023 Mannequin S and X automobiles in the US, in response to a Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration (NHTSA) submitting.
Tesla mentioned it first discovered of the problem throughout a routine crash check on December 6 and is unaware of any accidents or claims ensuing from the issue.
The automaker has launched an over-the-air (OTA) software program replace for vehicles affected by the protection defect. Notification letters are anticipated to be mailed to house owners of these vehicles by February 17, 2024.
Homeowners may also contact Tesla customer support at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla’s quantity for this recall is SB-23-00-009.
Simply final week, Tesla recalled practically all 2 million of its automobiles in the US to restrict the usage of its Autopilot characteristic. The recall got here after a two-year probe by US security regulators of roughly 1,000 crashes through which the characteristic was engaged.
The NHTSA mentioned the Autopilot system may give drivers a false sense of safety and be simply misused in sure harmful conditions when Tesla’s know-how could also be unable to securely navigate the street.
Tesla issued an OTA replace that provides drivers extra warnings when they aren’t listening to the street whereas the Autopilot’s “Autosteer” operate is on. These notifications will remind drivers to maintain their fingers on the wheel and take note of the street, in response to a press release from NHTSA.
The recall got here two days after an in depth investigation was printed by the Washington Post that discovered no less than eight severe accidents, together with some fatalities, through which the the Autopilot characteristic shouldn’t have been engaged within the first place.
With a market cap of greater than $791 billion, Tesla (TSLA) is by far probably the most helpful automaker on the planet regardless of lagging in gross sales behind opponents like Ford and Toyota.
That valuation is predicated largely on future projections of gross sales, proprietary Tesla software program and its improvement of AI. However current remembers could threaten Tesla’s prime place.
“In the long run, I believe, has the potential to make Tesla probably the most helpful firm on the planet by far,” Tesla CEO Elon Musk mentioned in October on a name with Wall Avenue analysts. “In case you have totally autonomous vehicles at scale and totally autonomous humanoid robots which are really helpful, it’s not clear what the restrict is.”
Tesla didn’t instantly reply to CNN’s request for remark.
Shares of Tesla are up 105% in 2023 total however are down 1.6% within the final six months.