What just happened? Tesla has issued yet another recall in the US. This time, the EV giant is recalling almost 200,000 vehicles due to what it calls a software instability that prevented the rearview camera feed from displaying, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In documents posted by Tesla, the NHTSA writes that 199,575 of its 2023 vehicles, including the Model S, X, and Y, have been affected by the issue. That represents more than 10% of the 1.8 million vehicles that Tesla delivered in 2023.
All are equipped with Full Self-Driving computer 4.0 and run software version 2023.44.30 through 2023.44.30.6 or 2023.44.100. Tesla owners can check which software versions their vehicles are running themselves.
Drivers who put the impacted cars into reverse will see a blank screen instead of the video feed, thereby reducing a driver's visibility and increasing the risk of a collision, according to the NHTSA. Tesla became aware of the problem in December and issued the recall on January 12.
Tesla says that no crashes, injuries, or deaths associated with this issue have been reported. However, it has identified 81 warranty claims that are potentially related to the malfunctioning rear video camera.
The documents state that Tesla has fixed the problem using an over-the-air (OTA) software update. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on March 22, 2024.
It was less than two months ago when Tesla recalled all of its 2 million US vehicles due to autopilot flaws. Cars sold between 2012 and 2023 received automatic over-the-air software updates. The company also recalled more than 54,000 Model X vehicles in October over a brake fluid detection bug, and over 360,000 cars in February due to concerns that its self-driving feature could cause crashes.
As we always point out in these situations where the software is at fault, using the legal technical term "recall" for these incidents is a misnomer. The solution tends to be an over-the-air update that doesn't require the vehicle to be returned to the shop for any type of repairs.
In other Tesla news, CEO Elon Musk last week warned workers that they will be sleeping on the factory floor when the new $25,000 EV goes into production next year.