Tesla recalling 120K vehicles over risk of doors unlocking during a crash

Tesla is recalling 120,423 vehicles in the US over the risk of doors unlocking during a crash, according to a report Friday. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the nation’s road safety regulator, on Friday announced the recall affecting the 2021-2023 Model S and Model X vehicles, saying those units fail to comply with certain federal safety standards for side-impact protection, according to Reuters.

Tesla released an over-the-air software update to address the problem.

In its largest recall ever in the Elon Musk-led company’s 20-year history last week, Tesla recalled more than 2 million vehicles in the United States, covering nearly all its vehicles on American roads. 

Federal regulators had cited “insufficient” safeguards over Tesla’s Autopilot advanced driver-assistance system against drive misuse, so the company initiated a voluntary recall to implement “additional checks” to encourage drivers to continue to pay attention to the roads even when Autopilot is active.

“There may be an increased risk of a crash” when the Autopilot driver-assistance system is engaged, the NHTSA wrote last week, according to The Washington Post, “and the driver does not maintain responsibility for vehicle operation and is unprepared to intervene as necessary.”