Tesla’s driver assistance recall under investigation by US authorities

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation into whether Tesla did enough to update the safety of its Autopilot driver assistance system in December. The agency announced the start of the investigation after concerns about accidents that occurred following a software update on Tesla vehicles.

The agency’s investigation found security flaws in Tesla’s driver assistance system, but the company has since made software updates to address some of the concerns. Tesla called in over two million vehicles for maintenance in the U.S. in December, the company’s largest repair call to date.

The investigation by NHTSA focused on Tesla models manufactured between 2012 and 2024, as well as the Cybertruck model, and found at least 13 accidents involving the driver assistance system. The agency is also concerned that the name “Autopilot” could mislead drivers into over-relying on automation.

Consumer Reports also found that Tesla’s software update did not sufficiently address safety concerns highlighted by NHTSA. The agency has been working to address these issues to ensure the safety of drivers using Tesla’s Autopilot system.