Tesla Issues Recall Because 'Full Self-Driving' Software Runs Stop Signs
By Bill Galluccio
February 1, 2022
Tesla announced a recall of nearly 54,000 cars and SUVs because they are programmed to break the law. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that the cars' "Full Self-Driving" software is programmed to roll through stop signs at a maximum speed of 5.6 mph. The "rolling stop" functionally was added in a software update on October 20.
The feature had to be activated by the driver and only works if the car does not detect any other vehicles, pedestrians, or bicyclists nearby. In addition, all roads leading to the stop sign had to have a speed limit of 30 mph or less.
Drivers in every state are required to come to a complete stop at a stop sign and can be pulled over for rolling through an intersection.
"The Vehicle Safety Act prohibits manufacturers from selling vehicles with defects posing unreasonable risks to safety, including intentional design choices that are unsafe," the agency said in a statement. "If the information shows that a safety risk may exist, NHTSA will act immediately."
The recall includes the following vehicles:
- TESLA/MODEL 3/2017-2022
- TESLA/MODEL S/2016-2022
- TESLA/MODEL X/2016-2022
- TESLA/MODEL Y/2020-2022
Tesla said it is releasing a firmware update in February that will disable the rolling stop functionality. Currently, the "Full Self-Driving" feature is only available to select beta testers.