Tesla has recalled 362,758 vehicles because of safety issues with its Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta software. This software is intended to offer Tesla vehicles autonomous driving capabilities; however, the recall was issued due to the program’s inability to navigate certain scenarios safely.
The recall applies to vehicles equipped with the FSD beta from 2016 to 2023 Model S and Model X, 2017 to 2023 Model 3, and 2020 to 2023 Model Y.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), FSD beta appears to mismanage situations that autonomous driving technology should be able to handle, such as driving through intersections, entering stop sign-controlled intersections, and not responding appropriately to changes in speed limits. These are major safety issues that might result in accidents and injury.
To resolve the issue, Tesla has promised to provide affected drivers with a free over-the-air software update. The upgrade should solve the safety issues raised by the FSD beta software. It is worth mentioning that all Tesla vehicles include the highway-capable Autopilot driver-assistance feature. The FSD option, which costs $15,000 and delivers Level 2 advanced driving assistance, is optional. This means that drivers keep complete control of the car while driving.
The recall of FSD beta highlights the limitations of current autonomous driving technologies. Level 2 is the highest level of autonomous driving technology, and no commercial vehicle exceeds Level 2. Tesla’s FSD cannot drive fully autonomously. Therefore the term “Full Self-Driving” may be misleading.
