You’re here recalls thousands of Model Y vehicles – and this time the word “recall” is definitely appropriate.
Along with other recent recalls, CEO Elon Musk expressed frustration with the word “recall” itself because Tesla could, unlike some competitors, simply fix the issues via an over-the-air software update. Traditionally, the word “recall” means taking your car to a mechanic for work.
For example, last month, under pressure from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Tesla “recalled” over 360,000 vehicles equipped with its Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta software due to apparent collision hazards.
But with the fix simply requiring a software update, Musk agreed to a Twitter user who wrote: “It seems that some terminology should be introduced to differentiate between recalls and software updates. Because you know, one requires something to be remembered and the other doesn’t.
Musk replied“Certainly. The word ‘reminder’ for an over-the-air software update is anachronistic and just plain wrong.”
He made a similar statement in September last year, Tweeter: “The terminology is outdated and inaccurate.” This was after a “recall” of 1.1 million Tesla vehicles to ensure they fully met NHTSA safety requirements. about electric windows. “This is a small over-the-air software update,” Musk added.
From the beginning, Tesla has designed its vehicles with the benefit of over-the-air patches and updates in mind.
Last year, the consulting firm Deloitte published a study on software-defined vehicles, calling Tesla “a quintessential leader” of the trend. “The transformation of the software-defined vehicle will be an inexorable trend that will drive the development of the automotive industry in the next five to ten years,” he added.
But this time, real bolts might rattle, and for safety, they need to be secured, physically. Like a recall report by NHTSA submitted in late February explained, in 3,470 Model Y cars (2022-2023), “one or more of the bolts that secure the seat back frames to the lower seat frame may not have been tightened to specification “.
This means that “the seat belt system may not function as intended in the event of a collision, which may increase the risk of injury to occupants seated in the affected second row seating positions,” he noted.
He added: “As of February 23, 2023, Tesla has identified 5 warranty claims, received between December 9, 2022 and February 14, 2023, which may relate to the conditions described above. Tesla is not aware of any injuries or deaths that may be related to such conditions.
Fortune contacted Tesla but did not receive an immediate response.
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