Tesla recalls 321,000 cars in US over faulty taillamps
What's the story
Tesla just cannot seem to catch a break. The Elon Musk-led company has recalled over 3.21 lakh cars in the US over an issue with the taillights. The brand's 2020-2023 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles are affected by the problem, and it will be fixed via a free software update. Note, this is not the first car recall for Tesla this year.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Tesla is the world's most valuable car brand with a brand value of roughly $75.9 billion as of 2022. Its wide catalog of models, comprising sedans and SUVs, appeals to buyers worldwide because of hi-tech features and excellent performance. Recently, however, there has been a spate of incidents that have brought the reliability of the company's software into question.
Problem
What is the issue?
In a document to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Tesla said that the taillamps on the affected models lit up intermittently because of a software issue. However, it only happened "in rare instances." Notably, the brake lights and turn signals were not affected. The EV maker said that the issue was confirmed on November 7 and that no related injuries/accidents were reported.
Incidents
There have been multiple recalls this year
Tesla has recalled its vehicles multiple times this year. Recently, in the US, 40,000 four-wheelers were recalled due to a potential problem with their electric power steering system. In September, 1.1 million EVs were brought back to inspect and address the issue of faulty window software. The problem was fixed via an over-the-air update that enhanced the calibration of the vehicles' automatic window reversal system.