Tesla is recalling 578,607 vehicles in the United States because pedestrians may not notice an oncoming vehicle if the warning sounds are hidden, U.S. regulators said Thursday, according to Reuters.
Under increasing control of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Tesla has issued 10 recalls in the US in the last four months.
The electric vehicle manufacturer is recalling some Model S, Model X, Model Y and Model 3 vehicles 2017-2022 because the “Boombox function” allows sounds to be played through an external speaker while the vehicle is in motion.
NHTSA has stated that vehicles do not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard regarding the minimum sound requirements for electric vehicles.
Tesla will perform an over-the-air software update (this is an update that goes off wirelessly and in the background without interrupting driving) that will turn off the Boombox function when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral and Reverse modes. Many of Tesla’s recent recalls are related to software troubleshooting.
Tesla said it was not aware of any accidents, injuries or deaths related to the recall.
After Tesla introduced the “Boombox” in December 2020, NHTSA issued a request for information in January 2021, the automaker said. This was followed by a series of meetings on the subject in the coming months.
In September, NHTSA upgraded an investigation into the matter, Tesla said. In October, Tesla defended the tests and reasoning used to determine Boombox compliance. Tesla agreed to a recall after two days of meetings last month.
The Boombox uses the Pedestrian Warning System (PWS) speaker and users can adjust the sounds.
Under congressional rules, automakers must add noise to electric vehicles when traveling at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour (30 km / h) to help prevent injuries to pedestrians, cyclists and the blind.
Electric vehicles are often more difficult to hear at lower speeds than gasoline engines. At higher speeds, tire noise, wind resistance and other factors eliminate the need for alarm sounds, NHTSA said earlier.
Source: Capital
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