Tesla is recalling 11,704 vehicles including the Tesla Model S, X, 3 and Y, according to a report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday. The recall is due to a software communications error which could cause false collision warnings and activation of the emergency braking system.
The report identified the cause of the error as an over-the-air firmware update Tesla released to beta testers of its "Full-Self Driving" software in late October. The update "introduced a software communication disconnect between the two onboard chips," which then led to inconsistencies in the ways the chips operated, triggering false collision warnings and unexpected emergency braking. The report also says this glitch could increase the chance of rear-end accidents.
The NHTSA has been investigating the Tesla Autopilot feature since August, looking into an estimated 765,000 vehicles.