Tesla is recalling thousands of Model Y vehicles—and this time, the word “recall” is unmistakable.
With another recent recall, CEO Elon Musk has expressed frustration with the word “recall” itself, as Tesla can—unlike some rivals—just fix problems through over-the-air software updates. Usually the word “recall” means taking the car to a mechanic for work.
For example, last month, under pressure from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Tesla “recalled” more than 360,000 vehicles equipped with its Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta software due to the risk of accidents.
But with the fix only requiring a software update, Musk agreed with a Twitter user who wrote: “It seems that there should be a terminology to distinguish between a recall and a software update. Because you know, one requires a recall and the other does not.”
Musk the answer: “Of course. The word ‘recall’ for over-the-air software updates is anachronistic and simply wrong.
He made a similar statement in September last year, tweet: “Terminology is outdated and inaccurate.” It is after the “recall” of 1.1 million Tesla vehicles to ensure they fully comply with NHTSA safety requirements regarding power windows. “This is a small over-the-air software update,” Musk added.
From the beginning, Tesla designed vehicles with the advantage of being able to repair and update over the air.
Last year, consulting firm Deloitte published a study on software-defined vehicles, calling Tesla the “quintessential leader” of the trend. “Software-defined vehicle transformation will be an inevitable trend driving the development of the automotive industry over the next five to 10 years,” he said.
But at this point, the actual bolts might be a bit scary, and for security reasons, they need to be secured—physically. As the NHTSA recall report sent at the end of February explains, in 3,470 Model Y cars (2022-2023), “one or more of the bolts that secure the rear seat frame to the lower seat frame may not be torqued according to specifications.”
That means “the seat belt system may not perform as designed in a crash, which could increase the risk of injury to occupants sitting in the affected second-row seating position,” he said.
He added, “As of February 23, 2023, Tesla has identified 5 warranty claims, received between December 9, 2022, and February 14, 2023, that may be related to the conditions described above. Tesla is not aware of any related injuries or deaths with these conditions.
fortune reached Tesla but did not receive an immediate reply.
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