According to France-Presse (AFP), the Chinese government announced Friday night that Tesla indicated that the warning applies to certain 3 and Y models imported or made in China, so it will contact the affected owners and replace the software with the new version for free.
It is the latest in unmanned vehicle innovation issues to be investigated by the Chinese authorities after several fatal accidents in recent months.
“Due to problems with the speed control system (…) the driver can easily start it by mistake,” the authorities noted in their report that “can cause a sudden increase in speed and, in extreme cases, cause a collision.”
The car manufacturer also had to deal with numerous complaints from Chinese customers on social media that questioned quality and service issues.
It all culminated in a protest at the Shanghai Motor Show, widely publicized in the media and on social media, by a buyer who said she nearly died due to a brake failure in her car.
The speed control system, which is designed to “control the speed of the vehicle to follow the traffic around it,” is an important part of the driving assistance feature, according to Tesla’s website.
The American company, which is allowed, which is rare in China, to build in Shanghai without a Chinese partner, is very popular in China, where it sells a quarter of its vehicles.
The car recall announcement on Friday caused Tesla’s U.S. stock to drop nearly 8%.
