Oct. 18, 2021—The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last week sent a letter to Tesla asking why it hadn't filed a recall after updating its Autopilot software.
The letter told the EV manufacturer that it must submit a recall if an "over-the-internet update mitigates a safety defect," according to the Detroit News. The request comes on the heels of a months-long investigation into Tesla's Autopilot system, which has been under increased scrutiny due to several accidents with stopped emergency vehicles.
“Any manufacturer issuing an over-the-air update that mitigates a defect that poses an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety is required to timely file an accompanying recall notice to NHTSA,” the agency said in the letter.
According to the NHTSA, the company updated its software to improve detection of emergency vehicles with their lights on in low-light environments. Tesla has until Nov. 1 to comply with the request for information and faces a fine of more that $114 million if it doesn't.
