Tesla is recalling just over two million vehicles in the United States equipped with its Autopilot advanced driver-assistance system.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) expressed concerns about the Autopilot system, stating it was open to "foreseeable misuse."
The NHTSA has been investigating Tesla for over two years to determine if its vehicles ensure that drivers remain attentive while using the Autopilot system.
Tesla acknowledges in the recall filing that Autopilot's software controls may not be sufficient to prevent driver misuse, potentially increasing the risk of crashes.
Acting NHTSA Administrator Ann Carlson emphasized the importance of driver monitoring systems considering that humans tend to over-trust technology.
Tesla's Autopilot is designed to enable cars to steer, accelerate, and brake automatically within their lane, with enhanced Autopilot assisting in lane changes on highways but not making vehicles autonomous.
Autosteer is a component of Autopilot that maintains a set speed or following distance and keeps vehicles within their driving lane.
Tesla disagrees with NHTSA's analysis but commits to deploying an over-the-air software update to enhance controls and alerts for Autosteer.
NHTSA identifies an increased risk of crashes when the Autopilot system is engaged, and the driver fails to maintain responsibility for vehicle operation.