Tesla drivers in Connecticut react to recall over autopilot feature

Tesla is recalling more than two million of its vehicles after a federal probe into its autopilot system.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that Tesla’s autopilot or “Autosteer” feature was “not sufficient to prevent driver misuse,” after reviewing crashes where it’s alleged the feature was engaged.

Luckily for Tesla drivers, the recall just requires a software update that’s already available for many impacted vehicles, which include four models made from 2012 to 2023.

Kebra Smith-Bolden, of Hamden, is on her third Tesla and said she loves the feature and uses it often on long drives.

“I travel a lot and to be able to keep my hands on the wheel, but check my email, do whatever and know that the car is driving is a beautiful thing,” Smith-Bolden said. “I think as long as you pay attention and remain relatively aware of what’s going on, you can be safe in autopilot mode.”

But she noticed something was wrong with her newest model’s Autosteer after she got it around Thanksgiving.

“The issue is that even with hands on the wheel, it wasn’t noticing that you had hands on the wheel so it will start flashing red and tell you it’s gonna disengage and that can happen at any time,” Smith-Bolden said.

Consumer Reports said they’re weary that a software update is sufficient.

“At this point in time, we simply don’t know whether this move by Tesla is going to be enough for safety. We at Consumer Reports and others are going to have to test it out, to try it out, and see if these upgrades really do enough to make the system safer,” said William Wallace, associate director of safety policy for Consumer Reports.

A 2019 crash nearly injured a Connecticut state trooper after a Tesla slammed into his cruiser when he was helping another driver on a highway in Norwalk. The driver admitted to being in autopilot mode.

“These systems can sometimes function very well, but they also lack the kind of safeguards that they need to make sure people are paying attention to the road, and that they can take over if necessary,” Wallace said.

Phil Levieff from the Electric Vehicle Club of Connecticut said Tesla’s ability to issue these software updates is “revolutionary” and “groundbreaking,” and attributes the issues with the Autosteer system to drivers who push the boundaries.

He said these electric vehicles and their features are the future.

“This is amazing technology that's been proven and continues to evolve,” Levieff said. “I think once people kind of understand it more and get educated on it a little bit more and start experiencing it more, it's gonna change the way we we get around.”