Although the process is called a “recall,” Tesla will fix the problems “over the air,” meaning via an over-the-air update.
More than 1.6 million electric vehicles produced between August 2014 and December 2023, including local Model 3s and Model Ys, as well as imported premium models, will get the update, the State Market Regulatory Administration said in a statement cited by Bloomberg.
According to the regulator’s statement, Tesla drivers can “improperly use Autopilot features, increasing the risk of collisions and creating a safety hazard.”
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration made a similar statement last year, accusing the company of not “doing enough to ensure that drivers use Autopilot properly.” The agency is continuing a multi-year investigation into the defects to track the effectiveness of the company’s fix on 2 million vehicles.
Tesla’s automated control systems have faced backlash after hundreds of accidents involving the manufacturer’s electric vehicles, sometimes with fatal outcomes. Despite Elon Musk’s regular touting that the world is moving toward “fully autonomous cars,” the company still requires the driver to pay attention when using Autopilot — including keeping their hands on the wheel and looking at the road.
Tesla also “recalled” 7,538 Model S and Model X cars in China to prevent the door locks from unlocking in a collision, and about 120,000 cars in the US due to a similar problem.
In 2023, Tesla sold 1.8 million electric cars, which is 38% more than last year, although for the first time it lost its lead to China’s BYD according to the results of the final quarter.
