Rosalind Evans
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation announced that Tesla Inc would address a software issue in more than a million cars to minimize accident risks.
The regulator informed us that the step is categorized as a product recall per Chinese regulations. However, it remains to be seen whether drivers will need to, or be eligible to, return their vehicles to Tesla for refunds.
Starting May 29, the American automaker will roll out over-the-air software updates to approximately 1.1 million vehicles, including Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y units, imported and manufactured in China, according to the regulatory body’s statement.
The issue at hand pertains to the vehicles not allowing the drivers to disable regenerative braking or giving adequate warnings when the accelerator pedal is pressed hard, potentially increasing the risk of a collision.
The regulator further explained that the software update aims to reintroduce the option of disabling regenerative braking and provide appropriate alerts when the accelerator pedal is pressed hard.
Tesla still needs to respond to the announcement.
Regenerative braking is a technique that conserves energy when the car slows down, channelling the excess back to the batteries to boost the vehicle’s range. Tesla removed the option to disable this feature on cars manufactured after 2020.
According to Seth Goldstein, an analyst at Morningstar, a software update recall is considered relatively mild compared to significant recalls necessitating owners to bring their vehicles in for equipment repairs.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that it is “aware of the recall in China and is gathering more information from the manufacturer.”
As the technology is known, Chinese consumers have received a mixed response to one-pedal driving. While some appreciate the ability to halt a vehicle without using the brake pedal, others expressed concerns about potential confusion and risks of pedal misapplication.
Last November, a crash involving a Model Y vehicle which resulted in the death of a motorcyclist and a high school student, and left three others injured, is being investigated by Chinese authorities. According to Tesla’s statement, video evidence indicated that the car’s brake lights were off while speeding, and data suggested the brakes were not engaged throughout the journey.
Tesla shares dropped approximately 1.3% on the New York Stock Exchange.
The software update for Tesla vehicles in China aims to address braking concerns and enhance safety features for over 1 million cars. As the State Administration for Market Regulation enforces this product recall, Tesla will deploy over-the-air updates to enable the option of disabling regenerative braking and provide improved warnings for accelerator pedal usage. While the recall reflects a proactive approach to resolving potential collision risks, Chinese authorities continue investigating a previous Tesla Model Y accident. The impact of these software updates on Tesla’s market performance remains to be seen.
