Tesla is recalling more than 1.8 million vehicles in Europe after regulators found that its Autopilot driver assistance system may not adequately prevent misuse. The recall follows a two-year investigation by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) into crashes involving the technology.
The recall applies to almost every Tesla sold in Europe since Autopilot was introduced in 2015. Tesla will issue a software update to address the issue, which can be installed remotely without requiring a visit to a dealership. The UK Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) stated that it is not aware of any safety issues with Teslas in the UK, noting that cars sold there lack some features available in US models.
The NHTSA investigation found that the system's controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse. Tesla disagreed with the agency's analysis but agreed to add new features, including additional checks before activating self-driving functions. The recall comes amid ongoing scrutiny of Tesla's self-driving technology, with critics arguing that the company has misled customers about its capabilities.
Despite the recall, analysts expect limited impact on Tesla's momentum. Susannah Streeter of Hargreaves Lansdown noted that recalls are common in the automotive industry and that Tesla has the financial resources to address the issue. However, the company faces other government investigations and lawsuits related to crashes involving Autopilot.
