Another recall for Tesla, as it calls out 579,000 vehicles in the United States over its Boombox function.
(Photo : KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)
Tesla recalls nearly 579,000 vehicles in the United States over its Boombox function, which can play sounds over an external speaker and may obscure federally mandated audible warnings for pedestrians, as per CNET's Road Show.
This is the fourth Tesla recall made public by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the previous two weeks, with American safety regulators increasing scrutiny of the world's largest electric vehicle maker. Two of those recalls were made because Tesla violated federal motor vehicle safety standards, while the other two recalls were made because of software errors.
According to the NHTSA, Tesla plans to fix the issue by removing the external music software feature via an over-the-air update. Among the vehicles affected by the recall are all 2020 to 2022 Tesla Model X, Y, and S vehicles and also some 2017 through 2022 Tesla Model 3 cars that are equipped with the Pedestrian Warning System.
NHTSA says Boombox feature violates federal safety standards
The NHTSA said on its website on Thursday, February 10, that the Boombox function found on Tesla's cars and SUVs allows drivers to play sounds while the vehicles are moving, per The Guardian's report. The feature enables occupants of the Tesla vehicles to play custom or preset sounds through an externally mounted speaker.
The agency insists that this is a direct violation of federal safety standards, which require pedestrian warning noises for electric cars. The external sounds that the Boombox function creates make it difficult to hear the audible tone that all electric vehicles are legally required to emit while they are in motion.
The sound signatures of the Pedestrian Warning System are designed to ensure both cyclists and pedestrians can hear the electric vehicles, which typically make far less noise than vehicles with internal combustion engines when in motion.
A federal law was created requiring new hybrids and EVs to create an artificial external noise to let pedestrians hear them when approaching. The NHTSA then made a ruling back in 2019 that gave the go-signal to manufacturers to develop their own custom sounds for their electric vehicles while driving at low speeds.
Tesla became creative with its sounds, releasing holiday light show and party-pleasing cowbell features and adding DJ horns and goat bleats to let pedestrians and cyclists know of its vehicles' presence on the road.
Related Article: Elon Musk Admits Tesla Dropped the Ball in Rollout of New Model X: How Long Will the Delays Last?
Recalls mounting for Tesla as NHTSA increases scrutiny
This is not the first time the company has faced scrutiny over its more peculiar features. Tesla issued a recall last week when it was discovered that the seatbelt reminder chime might not sound when the vehicles are started, and the driver has not yet buckled up. The NHTSA is also investigating a complaint about Tesla Arcade games being allowed to play on screen while the EV is in motion.
According to The Verge, last month, the company also had to update its "Full Self-Driving" beta software to remove a dangerous feature that would allow vehicles to roll forward at stop signs. Tesla also recalled around 27,000 vehicles yesterday because of a faulty windshield defroster.
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