In the U.K., Tesla has been requested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to recall around 158,000 Model S and Model X vehicles. This is, as the BBC reports, due to a series of reported touchscreen failures. The concern is with the risk of car crashes.
The issue relates to memory chips installed in the display screens of Tesla vehicles manufactured between 2012 and 2018. An issue with the chip causes them to wear out, locking the driver out of the screen. The issue has been reported by consumers since June 2020, and the U.K. agency has been collating responses over a six-month period.
The U.K. authority has issued a letter to Tesla requesting the recall. The automobile maker has until January 27, 2021 to respond. The concerns raised are, as per the letter:
A failure with the media control unit “results in loss of the rear-view/backup camera”.
A failure with the unit can also cause a “loss of HVAC (defogging and defrosting setting controls.”
The media unit failure can also have an “adverse impact on the Autopilot advanced driver assistance system”.
Also, a failure can affect “signal functionality due to the possible loss of audible chimes, driver sensing, and alerts associated with these vehicle functions.”
Tesla is aware of the issue and the Elon Musk fronted company has instigated over-the-air updates in an attempt to correct some of the issues. Tesla has also made reference to the issue in a Warranty Adjustment Program letter, which was issued in November 2020. However, the evaluation of the NHTSA indicates that these mitigations are not sufficient to correct all of the safety fears.
Tesla has yet to respond to media requests. If Tesla does not respond to the NHTSA this may lead to legal action.
