Feds investigating concerns with Tesla's autopilot updates after December 2023 recall

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced Friday that it is investigating the effectiveness of Tesla's updated Autopilot safety measures resulting from a December 2023 recall of slightly more than 2 million vehicles.

"Tesla filed Recall 23V838 to address concerns regarding the Autopilot system investigated in EA22002. Following deployment of the remedy in Recall 23V838, ODI identified concerns due to post-remedy crash events and results from preliminary NHTSA tests of remedied vehicles," read a notice from the NHTSA.

"Tesla has stated that a portion of the remedy both requires the owner to opt in and allows a driver to readily reverse it. Tesla has also deployed non-remedy updates to address issues that appear related to ODI’s concerns under EA22002. This investigation will consider why these updates were not a part of the recall or otherwise determined to remedy a defect that poses an unreasonable safety risk," the NHTSA added.

The user manual for Tesla vehicles urges drivers to "stay alert, drive safely, and be in control of the vehicle at all times" while using autopilot features. The company also advises drivers to "ensure all cameras are clean and free of obstructions before each drive and before using Autopilot features," nothing that "dirty cameras and sensors (if equipped), as well as environmental conditions such as rain and faded lane markings, can affect autopilot performance."