Elon Musk open fires, says OTA updates for cars don't mean recall

Tesla has been through multiple recalls, but the recent one where the EV maker is directed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to recall around 1.1 million electric vehicles across models like the Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model Y, Tesla Model S and Tesla Model X has left company head Elon Musk a little sore. The recall is due to the window automatic reversal system which may not function properly.

According to reports, the window automatic reversal system may not function smoothly as the system is unable to detect an obstruction currently. This can make a closing window put excess force that can pinch a driver's or passenger's finger. It has been shared by Tesla that this issue will be resolved via an over-the-air software update of the automatic window reversal system. Musk took to Twitter to state, “The terminology is outdated & inaccurate. This is a tiny over-the-air software update. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no injuries."

The terminology is outdated & inaccurate. This is a tiny over-the-air software update. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no injuries.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 22, 2022

Despite Musk's reply, the NHTSA stated that producers are required to initiate recalls if the car requires any kind of repair that includes software updates as well. According to the agency, a software update also falls under the category of ‘recall.’

In an earlier report, Tesla had stated that during product testing in August, the company's employees identified the window automatic reversal system performance that had ‘greater than expected variations in response to pinch detection.’ The EV maker then carried out extensive additional testing and determined that the vehicles' pinch detection and retraction performance in those results did not meet automatic reversal systems requirements.