The company recalls over 2 million vehicles
The Tesla Transportation Safety Commission reveals that Autopilot can’t operate autonomously, and it’s working under the auspices of NHTSA
In May, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose department includes NHTSA, said Tesla shouldn’t be calling the system Autopilot because it can’t drive itself.
The feature will alert the driver that it’s unavailable through visual and audible warnings, if the driver attempts to engage Autosteer.
The agency says it found that the method of ensuring that drivers are paying attention can be inadequate, and can lead to misuse of the system.
The documents said the software update includes new controls and warnings to encourage drivers to adhere to their driving responsibilities.
Autopilot includes features called Autosteer and Traffic Aware Cruise Control, with Autosteer intended for use on limited access freeways when it’s not operating with a more sophisticated feature called Autosteer on City Streets.
Auto safety advocates for years have been calling for stronger regulation of the driver monitoring system, which mainly detects whether a driver’s hands are on the steering wheel.
Tesla says on its website that Autopilot and a more sophisticated Full Self Driving system cannot drive autonomously and are meant to help drivers who have to be ready to intervene at all times. The owners of the car maker are testing Full Self Driving on public roads.
In its statement Wednesday, NHTSA said the Tesla investigation remains open “as we monitor the efficacy of Tesla’s remedies and continue to work with the automaker to ensure the highest level of safety.”
