Tesla recently issued a massive recall in the US due to issues with their Autopilot driver-assistance tech, and today is recalling cars in China for similar issues. They claim they will issue a software update remotely which will fix these problems so owners do not need to visit service centers for repairs.
What’s the problem?
Tesla (TSLA) announced Tuesday it is recalling more than 1.6 million cars sold in China due to issues with their Autopilot software. Tesla says its over-the-air update will address issues which increase crash risks; these recalls include Model S, X and 3 sedans as well as Model Y SUVs sold throughout China.
Chinese regulators have acknowledged that cars may contain issues with assisted driving functions and door locking systems that can be misutilized by drivers to increase the risk of an accident, according to reports by China’s State Administration for Market Regulation on Friday.
Last month, US safety regulators discovered a similar issue that led to a recall of nearly 2 million Tesla cars in the US. Drivers used Autopilot features to take their hands off of the wheel while using busy highways without paying attention to road conditions. This recall affects vehicles built between 2014-2023; remotely updating software could solve it for those vehicles involved.
How to fix it?
Tesla will recall its Model S, X and 3 electric vehicles from China due to faulty steering software and door latch controls. According to Chinese authorities, these issues could lead drivers to abuse Autopilot functions and increase risk of collisions as well as create safety risks.
Tesla will utilize remote upgrades to fix issues on affected vehicles, meaning owners won’t have to visit a service center to make repairs – similar to how it fixed its Autopilot system in the US last month.
China will see an update to Autopilot that addresses driver complaints about it, according to company statements. According to them, new controls and alerts will be added in order to keep drivers from misusing driving assist features, while it also prevents doors from unlocking during collisions (an issue addressed through separate recall in the US last month). Furthermore, that upgrade will also be remotely executed via over-the-air software upgrade.
What’s the significance of this recall for Tesla?
Tesla has overcome many hurdles to become the clean energy juggernaut it is today. Its founders realized that advances in battery storage density meant electric cars didn’t have to remain mere novelty items but could actually provide functional parity with internal combustion engine vehicles while eliminating costs such as fuel, maintenance and pollution.
Tesla still faces a long path ahead to fulfill its vision of providing affordable electric cars to mass markets, with fierce competition in China from homegrown rival BYD as well as production constraints limiting its ability to deliver its $35,000 Model 3 promise on time – an event which was delayed for almost an entire year due to production constraints.
Tesla has suffered another setback with their Chinese recall, which can be fixed remotely through software updates. It follows last month’s recall affecting nearly all vehicles in the U.S. due to Autopilot issues that increase crash risks.
What’s the solution?
Tesla’s Chinese recall — covering their Model S, X and 3 sedans and Model Y SUVs — aims to address driver assistance systems to stop drivers from misusing them and increasing the risk of collisions. They will also implement remote software updates in order to address door lock logic controls that could potentially allow doors to be accidentally opened during crashes.
It follows less than one month after General Motors was forced to recall 2 million cars in the U.S. due to the same issue and is a telling sign that Chinese regulators are taking this issue more seriously.
China will implement the fix via over-the-air updates, eliminating the need to take their Teslas back to a dealership for repairs. Nonetheless, Chinese authorities still consider this an emergency recall due to potential safety risks to drivers. It is scheduled for release sometime during November and requires drivers manually activating Autopilot feature.
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