Deadly Autopilot Crashes Lead to Tesla's Recall of 2 Million Vehicles

The vehicles involved in the recall include the Model 3/2017-2023, Model S/2012-2023, Model X/2016-2023 and Model Y/2020-2023

David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images A Tesla plant
David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images A Tesla plant

Tesla is recalling more than 2 million cars sold in the U.S. due to issues with its autopilot software system, according to multiple reports.

The electric car company will update the system to make sure that drivers are paying adequate attention when their vehicles are engaged in the autopilot function, according to the Associated PressCNN and The New York Times.

The recall was disclosed in a letter by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to the car company regarding its ongoing probe related to accidents in which drivers were using autopilot.

Among the models recalled according to the letter are Model 3/2017-2023, Model S/2012-2023, Model X/2016-2023 and Model Y/2020-2023.

Related: Tesla Recalls 362,758 Vehicles Due to Self-Driving Software That 'Increases the Risk of a Crash'

Tesla did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on the recall.

NHTSA found that many drivers are not taking adequate action to avoid crashes when the autopilot system is engaged and warning lights are triggered, the AP reported.

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David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images
David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Related: Tesla Recalls More Than 800K Vehicles Over Seat Belt Chime — and a Simple Software Update Fixes It

After the software update, Teslas with Autosteer will routinely check on the driver’s attention level and may disengage the feature should driving conditions warrant, per CNN.

One such accident occurred last July in Virginia when a 57-year-old man was killed when the Tesla he was driving on autopilot crashed into the side of a tractor-trailer.

The Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office tells PEOPLE that its investigation found no indication that the autopilot feature directly led to the crash but noted that the car had been on autopilot.

Related: Driver Killed, Passenger Critically Injured After Tesla Crashes into Firetruck on Calif. Highway

“The Tesla was in ‘autopilot’ mode, which is a lower level of automobile driving assist that requires active driver supervision,” the sheriff’s office told PEOPLE in a statement. “The vehicle’s electronic data recorder further indicates that the Tesla safety system was aware of something in the roadway.”

The sheriff’s office initially charged the truck driver with reckless driving, but the charge was later dropped when it was determined that the Tesla driver was traveling at about 70 miles per hour — 25 mph over the posted speed limit.

Earlier this year, Tesla announced a voluntary recall of 362,758 vehicles equipped with Full Self-Driving Beta (FSD) software.

NHTSA announced in the recall that the FSD "increases the risk of a crash" due to several alleged bugs in the software, which Tesla was set to remedy with a free over-the-air update.

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