Tesla—Tesla recalled 2.03 million vehicles over Autopilot safety defects linked to 14 deaths
In December 2023, Tesla issued its largest-ever recall covering 2.03 million US vehicles (nearly all Teslas on US roads) after NHTSA found 467 crashes involving Autopilot resulting in 54 injuries and 14 deaths. NHTSA determined that Autopilot's driver attention monitoring was insufficient and warnings were inadequate. The OTA software update added larger warning text, single-tap activation, and a five-strike system disabling Autopilot for repeat offenders. Consumer Reports later found the recall fix 'addresses minor inconveniences rather than fixing the real problems.'
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI Safety | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Consumer Protection | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -1.101 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (critical ×2) × confidence (0.73)× agency (reactive ×0.75)
Evidence (3 signals)
NHTSA ordered Tesla Autopilot recall of 2.03 million vehicles after finding 467 crashes and 14 deaths
NHTSA investigation found 467 crashes involving Autopilot resulting in 54 injuries and 14 deaths. Tesla issued OTA update adding larger warning text, single-tap activation, and five-strike system. Consumer Reports found the fix 'addresses minor inconveniences rather than fixing the real problems.'
NPR reported Tesla recalled 2M+ vehicles after NHTSA three-year investigation found Autopilot safety issues contributed to 467 collisions
NPR confirmed the recall of 2,031,220 Tesla vehicles (Model S, X, 3, Y built since 2012) following a three-year NHTSA investigation. The agency found Autopilot's driver attention monitoring was inadequate and could 'lead to foreseeable misuse of the system.' While Tesla did not concur with NHTSA's analysis, it agreed to the voluntary recall and OTA software update.
Washington Post investigation found 700+ Autopilot crashes and at least 8 fatalities on roads where Autopilot should not have been enabled
A Washington Post analysis published December 10, 2023, just days before the recall, found Tesla Autopilot linked to over 700 crashes and at least 19 deaths since introduction. The investigation documented at least 8 serious accidents including fatalities on roads where Autopilot should not have been engaged, including a Tesla that crashed through a T intersection at 70 mph killing one person and gravely injuring another.