US automakers: US regulators are reviewing whether Tesla’s recall is sufficient

Has the American electric manufacturer Tesla solved the technical problems with its autopilot? Following the latest recalls, America’s top auto safety agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), has launched an investigation. The question is whether installing new safety measures for automation in two million Tesla cars is enough, which the company announced.

In a years-long investigation, NHTSA found that the driver assistance system did not deliver what it promised. The system is an autopilot in name only and cannot control the car independently and without the intervention of the driver. Tesla must for that Software update to the support system. The company then recalled nearly two million vehicles in December.

NHTSA has now announced that there are still concerns after accidents with the upgraded vehicles. There are also results from NHTSA’s own testing. Tesla has released software updates that address these issues, but these are not part of the recall.

Problems with automation

Tesla has been rolling out its Autopilot system in all new cars for several years. The assistant adapts the speed to the traffic and keeps the car in its lane. However, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, the driver must keep his hands on the steering wheel and remain alert.

The investigation was prompted by a series of accidents where the automation was operating. Tesla cars drove into parked ambulances, among other things; People died in several accidents.

Just last week, Tesla recalled nearly 3,900 vehicles from its Cybertruck electric pickup truck due to safety-related issues. According to NHTSA, this can cause the accelerator pedal to jam and the vehicle to accelerate uncontrollably. All vehicles built from mid-November 2023 to early April 2024 may be affected.