2021 Car Recalls and Safety Alerts

A new study that was presented at the Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America explored how adding an important feature to electric cars may benefit consumers’ safety. The report explained that because these vehicles are naturally so quiet, adding artificial sound can make them more prominent on the roads and more easily detectable by pedestrians. 

“Electric vehicles are significantly quieter than standard internal combustion engine vehicles,” the researchers wrote. “Although this is a benefit to the acoustic soundscape, it presents a safety concern, particularly to the vision impaired.” 

Prioritizing pedestrian safety

For the study, the team had 16 participants press a button each time they heard an electric vehicle approaching. In some of the trials, the researchers added sounds to the cars to see how this affected the participants’ ability to detect them. 

Ultimately, the test came back with mixed results. The researchers learned that it was difficult for the participants to detect the electric vehicles based on sound alone in every trial. This was true even when sound was added to the cars for extra safety. 

“All of the cases had mean detection ranges that exceed the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration minimum detection distances,” said researcher Michael Roan. “However, there were cases where probability of detection, even at close ranges, never reached 100%. While the additive sounds greatly improve detection distances over the no sound condition, there are cases where pedestrians still missed detections.” 

The researchers noted that countries around the world have different requirements in place regarding the sound of electric vehicles on the road. In the U.S., the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration requirements change depending on the distance and speed of the car; when cars are going faster, they’re required to be detectable from further away. 

The researchers hope more work continues to be done on this topic as consumers continue to turn to electric vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants to know why Tesla failed to initiate a recall when it sent the automobile’s owners a safety-related software update in September. Tesla’s reason for updating the car’s software was a direct response to an issue created by the vehicle’s tendency to hit vehicles that have flashing lights or are near scenes with flares, road cones, and illuminated arrow boards.

NHTSA had earlier initiated a separate probe into Tesla Autopilot over possible safety defects. The agency cited crash data suggesting that the system may have difficulty seeking parked emergency vehicles. However, Autoweek reports that after the NHTSA launched that investigation, the automaker admitted that its Autopilot driver-assist system can now detect emergency lights and slow down the vehicle -- but only at night.

A procedural move?

The NHTSA’s complaint appears to be more procedural than anything. 

“As Tesla is aware, the Safety Act imposes an obligation on manufacturers of motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment to initiate a recall by notifying NHTSA when they determine vehicles or equipment they produced contain defects related to motor vehicle safety or do not comply with an applicable motor vehicle safety standard,” the agency’s letter reads.

“This recall notice must be filed with NHTSA no more than five working days after the manufacturer knew or should have known of the safety defect or noncompliance. … 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 NHTSA says it still wants more information

Whether it’s procedural or not, the agency says it needs Tesla to provide certain documentation it may have surrounding the software update so that NHTSA staff can “evaluate the alleged defect.” The list of things the agency is asking for includes: 

• A chronology of events, internal investigations, and studies that led to Tesla’s deployment of the Emergency Light Detection Update. 

• A complete list and description of field incidents or other events that motivated the release of the update.

• Any measures to extend this capability more broadly throughout Tesla’s fleet.

• The reasoning for instances where a vehicle cannot accept the update.

Do you own a Tesla?

If you’re a Tesla owner who has not yet installed the company’s latest update, you would be wise to research Tesla’s software update procedures and ask questions if you have concerns.

Consumers who want to know if their particular Tesla model is part of any safety recall can easily find out by putting in their car’s Vehicle Identification Number on Tesla’s website. Owners can also sign up for Tesla’s emails, which include information on things like service updates and recalls.

New car dealers are prevented, by law, from selling vehicles with open recalls. Used car dealers face no such prohibition. Four U.S. Senators say it’s time they did.

Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) have co-sponsored the Used Car Safety Recall Repair Act, saying it would help get dangerous vehicles off the road until they are repaired.

The bill requires car dealers to repair any outstanding safety recalls in used cars prior to selling, leasing, or loaning them to consumers. The lawmakers cite data showing that there are currently 72 million cars on the road with open recalls, some of which could pose dangers.

“Americans deserve peace of mind that they are buying safe cars from car dealers, yet too many used cars today are sold or leased with known and unrepaired safety issues,” said Blumenthal. “This measure will close this unacceptable safety loophole, and protect drivers and the public from hazardous cars.”

Support from a key consumer group

The measure has the backing of the Consumer Federation of America (CFA), which says the proposed legislation is especially important now because of the strong demand for used cars during the pandemic. The group says the potential danger associated with open recalls increases with the age of the vehicle, with about 56% of recalled vehicles 5-10 years old having open recalls. It says 71% of the recalls associated with vehicles over 10 years old are still uncorrected.

“Without major intervention by the Federal Government, consumers will increasingly be put at risk,” said CFA Executive Director Jack Gillis.

Gillis says used car dealers are opposing the bill, even though it would cost the car’s manufacturer, not the dealer, to repair the vehicle. Cars and trucks with open recalls can be easily identified using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) online database. 

Takata airbags

Some of the older cars on the road with open recalls are equipped with defective Takata airbags that have been linked to at least 18 deaths in the U.S. Earlier this week, the fund compensating airbag victims paid out another $46 million to 161 claimants. 

Safety officials have known about the defect since 2008, and millions of vehicles have already been recalled and repaired. Eric Green, who manages the Takata fund, said he expects hundreds of additional claims to be made in the future because not all the cars with the defective airbags have been repaired. 

Many are older vehicles that have changed hands numerous times on used car lots, so the current owners may be unaware of the original recall. Green calls these vehicles “time bombs getting more dangerous by the day.”

Gillis said passing the senators’ bill would defuse that bomb and make used cars a lot safer.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating a crash in Detroit involving a Tesla vehicle that may have been in Autopilot mode. The vehicle reportedly drove beneath a semitrailer, critically injuring two people. Local police say they’re still investigating whether the driver was using the Autopilot feature or not.

The agency called the incident a “violent crash,” one eerily similar to two previous crashes in Florida in which Teslas drove beneath tractor-trailers, causing two fatalities. In one of those, the regulators found that the Tesla Autopilot was not at fault.

In both Florida crashes, the vehicles were being driven with the assistance of Tesla’s Autopilot feature, which is a partially automated driving software. When the company first released Autopilot, it said the feature was designed to “give you more confidence behind the wheel, increase your safety on the road, and make highway driving more enjoyable.”

However, that was six years and several accidents ago. Now, the company has scaled back its language to say that Autopilot is “a hands-on driver assistance system that is intended to be used only with a fully attentive driver,” adding that it “does not turn a Tesla into a self-driving car nor does it make a car autonomous.”

No such thing as a “self-driving car” 

In its investigation of previous Tesla Autopilot-related crashes, the National Transportation and Safety Board (NTSB) cited the shortcomings of these new automotive technologies. “This tragic crash clearly demonstrates the limitations of advanced driver assistance systems available to consumers today,” said NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt. 

“There is not a vehicle currently available to U.S. consumers that is self-driving. Period. Every vehicle sold to US consumers still requires the driver to be actively engaged in the driving task, even when advanced driver assistance systems are activated. If you are selling a car with an advanced driver assistance system, you’re not selling a self-driving car. If you are driving a car with an advanced driver assistance system, you don’t own a self-driving car,” Sumwalt said.

Sumwalt recently went after the NHTSA for its “continued failure to recognize the importance of ensuring that acceptable safeguards are in place” when it comes to testing advanced driver assistance systems. He said conditions like roadway type, geographic location, clear roadway markings, weather conditions, speed range, and lighting conditions can all hinder the ability of these systems to operate safely. 

Despite these limitations, Sumwalt pointed out in a February 1 letter to the Department of Transportation that vehicle manufacturers can operate and test vehicles virtually anywhere. He said that’s only possible because the NHTSA has no requirements in place.

Sumwalt cited Tesla’s recent beta version of its Level 2 Autopilot system, which is described as having full self-driving capability, as an example. 

“By releasing the system, Tesla is testing on public roads a highly [automated vehicle] technology but with limited oversight or reporting requirements. Although Tesla includes a disclaimer that ‘currently enabled features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous,’ NHTSA’s hands-off approach to oversight of AV testing poses a potential risk to motorists and other road users,” he said.

Tesla has agreed to recall 134,951 Model S and Model X vehicles with touchscreen display issues that could affect vehicle safety. The recall will begin March 30. 

At the start of the year, the National High Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sent a letter to Tesla saying owners have complained of touchscreen issues that could increase the risk of a crash. The agency said it concluded that the 2012-2018 Model S and 2016-2018 Model X vehicles have safety issues as a result of a touchscreen issue and should therefore be recalled.

In a recall notice posted Tuesday, Tesla said it has agreed to the recall “in the interest of bringing administrative closure to the investigation and to ensure the best ownership experience for our customers.” 

Poses safety risks

Owners began complaining last year that their touchscreen media control units would sometimes go either partially or completely blank. In November, the NHTSA said it reviewed 12,523 claims and complaints about the issue.

The glitch compromised a number of safety features, including the ability to use the rearview or backup camera and the ability to use defrost and defogging systems, which the NHTSA said “may decrease the driver’s visibility in inclement weather.”

Tesla has agreed to voluntarily recall the vehicles. In acknowledging the issue, the automaker said drivers can take certain matters into their own hands if the display isn’t working.  

“The driver can perform a shoulder check and use the mirrors,” the company said. “If the screen is not visible to control the climate control and defroster settings, the driver will be able to manually clear the windshield.” 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has asked Tesla to recall 158,716 of its Model S and Model X vehicles manufactured before 2019, Reuters reports. 

In a letter to Al Prescott, Tesla’s vice president of legal, the NHTSA said owners have complained of touchscreen glitches that affected the safety of their vehicle. 

The agency said it’s investigating “a potential safety-related defect concerning incidents of media control unit (‘MCU’) failures resulting in loss of rearview camera and other safety-related vehicle functions.” The affected vehicles include Tesla Model S sedans made between 2012 and 2018 and Model X SUVs in model years from 2016 to 2018.

If Tesla opts not to voluntarily recall the vehicles with the alleged glitches, the automaker would have to provide the NHTSA with “a full explanation of its decision, including any additional analysis of the problem beyond Tesla’s past presentations.”

Owners have previously complained that their touchscreen media control units would sometimes go either partially or completely blank. The glitch compromised drivers’ ability to use the car’s heating and air conditioning, defrost and defogging systems, rearview cameras, and Tesla’s Autopilot features. 

Compromises vehicle safety

The NHTSA said the MCU issue raises the risk of crashing due to the “possible loss of audible chimes, driver sensing, and alerts” that are part of Tesla Autopilot. 

The letter said failure rates were as high as 17 percent in older Tesla Model S vehicles and as high as 4 percent in Tesla cars made between 2016 and 2018. The agency said it believes MCU failure rates “will continue to accelerate” over time. 

“We attribute the differences in failure rates between the model years to the respective time in service for the subject vehicles, in addition to some variances in memory demand from driver to driver based on vehicle functions performed,” the letter said. “As the vehicles continue to in use, more memory blocks are subsequently consumed, shortening the life of the 8GB eMMC device leading to inevitable failure of the MCU.” 

“Given Tesla’s projects of MCU repairs, even MY [model year] 2018 subject vehicles will experience 100% failure of the MCU within approximately 10 years,” NHTSA investigators wrote.