Elon Musk recently critiqued the definition of a “recall” as Tesla works to ship a fix for its Full Self-Driving Beta program through an Over-the-Air update.
Tesla is one in all the few firms that fixes most of its vehicle issues through software updates that could be downloaded to a vehicle with an online connection.
Tesla owners have argued through the past few years that the corporate’s software fixes mustn’t be labeled as “recalls” due to negative connotation of the term. Recalls normally push consumers to think that something physical is flawed with the vehicle and that a technician must repair the vehicle.
Nevertheless, Tesla has fixed all the pieces from windshield defrosting issues, to backup camera delays, to solving rolling stops within the FSD Beta with software updates. In 2022, 12 of its 19 recalls were fixed by software updates, while 6 required physical repairs to only over 31,400 vehicles. The ultimate recall was only applicable to a single Model X vehicle.
Tesla’s 19 vehicle recalls in 2022: a breakdown
In September, Musk said that the terminology of a recall was “outdated and inaccurate,” and the NHTSA challenged this with its current recall definition, stating that anything that requires a repair, including software updates, is technically a recall.
Tesla recalled 362,000 vehicles on February 16 for issues with the FSD Beta suite. “The FSD Beta system may allow the vehicle to act unsafe around intersections, corresponding to traveling straight through an intersection while in a turn-only lane, entering a stop sign-controlled intersection without coming to a whole stop, or proceeding into an intersection during a gradual yellow traffic signal without due caution,” the recall said.
As more vehicles could be fixed with software updates, and with Tesla specifically fixing greater than 50 percent of its recalls with downloadable patches, individuals are still under the assumption the terminology must be updated.
“Looks as if there must be terminology introduced to distinguish between recalls and software updates,” Sam Korvus of ARK Invest said. “Because you realize, one requires something to be recalled and the opposite doesn’t.”
Musk responded:
“Definitely. The word “recall” for an over-the-air software update is anachronistic and just flat flawed!”
Definitely. The word “recall” for an over-the-air software update is anachronistic and just flat flawed!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 16, 2023
Ford issued its first Over-the-Air software fix last yr, remedying nearly 49,000 Ford Mustang Mach-E units resulting from a high-voltage foremost battery contactor malfunction.
Tesla just isn’t the one automaker that stands to achieve from updated terminology. Nevertheless, the NHTSA has, no less than prior to now, been unwilling to budge on the concept.
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