A 2021 Model 3 sedan sits heavily at a Tesla dealership in Littleton, Colo., on June 27, 2021. Tesla is recalling nearly 54,000 vehicles because its “Full Self-Driving” software allows them to glide past stop signs without coming to a full stop.
David Zalubowski / AP
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David Zalubowski / AP
A 2021 Model 3 sedan sits heavily at a Tesla dealership in Littleton, Colo., on June 27, 2021. Tesla is recalling nearly 54,000 vehicles because its “Full Self-Driving” software allows them to glide past stop signs without coming to a full stop.
David Zalubowski / AP
DETROIT – Tesla is recalling nearly 54,000 cars and SUVs because its “Full Self-Driving” software lets them skim through stop signs without having to come to a complete stop.
Revoke Tuesday’s Document by US safety regulators saying that Tesla will disable the feature with a software update over the internet. The “stop rolling” feature allows vehicles to pass through stop-signed intersections in all directions at up to 5.6 miles (9 km) an hour.
The recall shows that Tesla has programmed its vehicles to break the law in most states, where police will fine motorists for defying stop signs. The Governors Highway Safety Association, which represents the state’s highway safety offices, said it is not aware of any states that allow parking.
Tesla agreed to the recall after two meetings with officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to the documents. Tesla said in the documents that it had no accidents or injuries caused by the feature.
The recall covers Model S sedans and X SUVs from 2016 to 2022, as well as Model 3 sedans from 2017 to 2022 and Model Y SUVs from 2020 to 2022.
Selected Tesla drivers are “beta testing” the “Full Self-Driving” software on public roads. The company says cars cannot drive themselves and drivers must be ready for action at all times.
A firmware release to disable deployment breakpoints is expected to be released in early February.
Messages were left early Tuesday seeking comment from Tesla, which has disbanded its media relations division.
NHTSA said in the documents that failing to stop at a sign can increase the risk of a collision. “The Vehicle Safety Act prohibits manufacturers from selling vehicles with defects that pose an unreasonable risk to safety, including intentional design choices,” the agency said in a statement. not safe.” “If information indicates a possible safety risk exists, NHTSA will act immediately.”
Tesla introduces rolling stop feature in “Full Self-Driving” software test
Tesla introduced the “stop rolling” feature in a software update sent to test owners on October 20, 2020. NHTSA met with Tesla on January 10 and 19 of this year to discuss discussion of how the software works, the documents said. On January 20, the company agreed to disable rolling stops with a software update.
The “stop rolling” feature allows Teslas to pass stop signs on all roads as long as the owner has enabled the function. Vehicles must be traveling less than 5.6 mph when they reach the intersection and cannot detect cars, pedestrians, or “relevant” bicyclists moving nearby. The documents say all roads leading to the intersection must have a speed limit of 30 mph or less. Teslas will then be allowed to pass through the intersection at 0.1 mph to 5.6 mph without coming to a complete stop.
Philip Koopman, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, said four-way stop signs are often placed to protect intersections for children when there are no guards crossing the street. He said Tesla’s “machine learning” system can misidentify objects. “What happens when the FSD decides a child crossing the street is not ‘appropriate’ and does not stop?” he asks. “This is an unsafe practice and should never have been put on vehicles.”
Koopman said moving past a stop sign at 5.6 mph is like treating it as a performance sign.
Governors’ safety group says Tesla continues to “push the limits of safety”
Jonathan Adkins, executive director of the governors’ safety association, said he was not surprised that Tesla programmed the vehicles to violate state law. “They kept pushing the safe margin to see what they could get away with, and they really pushed a lot,” he said. “It’s been a little more serious each time. It’s good to see NHTSA pushing back.”
The automaker should prioritize safety “not to take advantage of some of our worst behavior on the road,” Adkins said.
In November, NHTSA said it was looking into a complaint from a Tesla driver in California that “Full Self-Driving” software caused an accident. The driver complained to the agency that a Model Y was in the wrong lane and was hit by another vehicle. According to the lawsuit, the SUV warned the driver while turning, and the driver attempted to steer to avoid other traffic, according to the lawsuit. But the car lost control and “forced itself into the wrong lane,” the driver reported. No one was injured in the November 3 crash.
In December, Tesla agreed to update its software to prevent playing video games on the central touchscreen when its vehicle is moving.
NHTSA is also investigating why Teslas using the company’s less sophisticated “Autopilot” driver assistance system repeatedly crashed into parked emergency vehicles.
Last week Tesla said in its earnings announcement that its “Full Self-Driving” software is currently being tested by owners on nearly 60,000 vehicles in the US. The company says the $12,000 software will help Tesla increase profits.
CEO Elon Musk said he would be shocked if software couldn’t drive safer than humans this year. In 2019, Musk predicts there will be a fleet of self-driving Tesla robots on the road by the end of 2020.
