US rejects Tesla bid to avoid recall of nearly 20,000 vehicles over headlight issue

Tesla's 2024 petition seeking to avoid a recall for nearly 20,000 vehicles with headlights that may exceed the maximum permitted brightness levels was denied by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Thursday. Tesla had argued that the issue was inconsequential and did not warrant a recall or notification to consumers.

The NHTSA disagreed with Tesla's conclusion, stating that the company had failed to demonstrate there was no increased risk of glare for surrounding traffic or the driver of the vehicle. As a result, Tesla will have to recall around 19,000 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles from the 2017-2023 model years.

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The agency added that weather conditions such as rain, snow, and fog could cause light from the non-compliant headlights to create veiling glare, potentially affecting the visibility of Tesla drivers as well as other road users travelling nearby.

The decision comes despite the NHTSA rejecting a 2022 petition that sought a broader recall of vehicles using LED headlights, including certain Tesla Model 3, Ford Bronco, and Rivian R1T models, over allegations that they produced excessive glare.

Separate FSD investigation

In a separate development, investigators found that a Tesla driver who fatally crashed into a home in Katy, Texas, in June had manually overridden the vehicle's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system by pressing the accelerator to 100%.

The crash killed 76-year-old Martha Avila. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), road and weather conditions were clear at the time of the incident. Tesla's head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, said the driver had overridden the FSD system by fully depressing the accelerator pedal.

The driver, Michael Butler, who now faces manslaughter charges, told investigators he had activated the vehicle's self-driving mode before losing consciousness. Court records also revealed that Butler had previously searched online for ways to make Tesla's FSD system drive more aggressively in city conditions.