'Boombox' function sparks Tesla recall
- Reference: 1644591672
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2022/02/11/tesla/
- Source link:
In late 2020, Tesla firmware enabled the "Boombox" feature, which "allows a customer to play preset or custom sounds through the PWS [pedestrian warning system] external speaker when the vehicle is parked or in motion."
Think of the driver playing whatever they want, drowning out the baseline sort-of-car noise, and you can start to see why regulators were concerned. If you're a loser who doesn't have a Tesla, this [1]informative video gives an idea of how the PWS should sound.
[2]
In January 2021, the NHTSA duly began investigating how Boombox might interfere with a safety-critical system designed to alert pedestrians to an oncoming Tesla since they are far quieter than conventional vehicles.
[3]
[4]
The result of the investigation is a [5]recall [PDF] of certain 2020-22 Model S, Model X, and Model Y vehicles and 2017-22 Model 3 vehicles "built or retrofitted with pedestrian warning system" and capable of operating firmware release 2020.48.25 and later.
[6]Tesla to disable 'self-driving' feature that allowed vehicles to roll past stop signs at junctions
[7]Tesla driver charged with vehicular manslaughter after deadly Autopilot crash
[8]Tesla Full Self-Driving videos prompt California's DMV to rethink policy on accidents
[9]Tesla disables in-car gaming feature that allowed play while MuskMobiles were in motion
As you might imagine, that's a lot of cars. To address the issue, Tesla will stop Boombox working when the car is moving via an over-the-air (OTA) update through February.
The NHTSA document reads:
Tesla will deploy an OTA firmware release to affected vehicles that will disable the Boombox functionality when the vehicle is in Drive, Neutral and Reverse modes. Firmware release 2021.43.101.2, which includes this remedy, was introduced in production on February 3, 2022. Firmware release 2022.8, which also includes this remedy, will deploy OTA to delivered vehicles in February 2022. No further action is necessary from owners whose vehicles are equipped with firmware release 2021.43.101.2 or 2022.8 or a later release. Undelivered vehicles will not be delivered to customers without 2021.43.101.2 or 2022.8 or a later release installed.
Just this month Tesla had to disable a feature in its Full Self-Driving software that allowed some 50,000 vehicles to [10]roll past stop signs at junctions without coming to a full stop.
The company disbanded its media relations unit in 2020. ®
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[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkRCto3EUAY
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/bootnotes&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YgaWN8IlZM0JJowba0TOLwAAAMA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/bootnotes&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YgaWN8IlZM0JJowba0TOLwAAAMA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/bootnotes&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YgaWN8IlZM0JJowba0TOLwAAAMA&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2022/RCLRPT-22V063-8773.PDF
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2022/02/01/tesla_stop_sign_feature/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/19/tesla_manslaughter_autopilot/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/01/15/in_brief_ai/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2021/12/24/tesla_disables_mobile_gaming_in_vehicle/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2022/02/01/tesla_stop_sign_feature/
[11] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Your link isn't GDPR compliant
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/kQyIr9-36XM
But knowing Google's modus operandi, this might not be much better.
How long before they order them to issue an OTA update to stop the car from driving at all due to a critical safety issue...
The press has really gone all in on these headlines
I mean, the Reg LOVES an overhyped headline. It's just there style.
But so many Tesla articles amount to reading the patch notes of the routine over the air updates and then trying to spin them into the same level as an exploding Ford Pinto. Save the hysterics for when the brakes stop working again, so that people don't just ignore you when there IS a wolf.
I get the big auto manufacturers are trying to get Tesla to stumble and waste their engineering lead like Nokia did back in the day, but seriously, most cars have these kinds of faults, and many aren't even fixed with a software update. The self drive on my cars only saving grace is that it is so obviously useless I've never trusted anything but the adaptive cruise control. It doesn't even MAKE a pedestrian warning sound, let alone let you customize it, and that could be done via an on air update(which the car CAN do, but the maker has only issued manual updates that only offered to mechanics to date).
Tesla is neither saint nor devil, and their cars are just cars. Stop treating every glitch in the patch notes like it was a four alarm fire just because every other shill in the media has decided to dog pile on one company. Or at least be even handed about it, and dish it out on the competition just as hard.
Re: The press has really gone all in on these headlines
*their
Could be good uses for this.....
Have it recognise a good looking person.... play "Get outta my dreams, get into my car"
Pull up at a crossing for a pedestrian/behind another vehicle... "Get outta my way you dirty mofo"
or my favourite, play the Imperial March or Tie-fighter on approaching a pedestrian crossing!
So much fun, nipped in the bud......
not really a recall?
Have seen reports of multiple "recalls" for Teslas recently, they all seem to say software updates are the cause. But to me a recall means you take the car to the dealer, or maybe in Telsa's case the dealer comes to you. But in any case I'm sure I've read Telsa sends software updates to the cars over the internet I guess? No need to be near a dealer. Are there software updates that Telsa has that can only be installed by their own staff? Maybe there is I don't know.
Last time my car needed a software update(not a Tesla) it had to go to the dealer, something to do with the exhaust system or emissions or something like that, dealer applied the update and were honest about it saying it was a very fickle process taking up to an hour assuming it went smoothly, hooked the car to some equipment then downloaded the update from the internet (why they didn't or couldn't store the update on their local systems confused me since they said if their internet connection went out they couldn't do the update). Ended up taking about 35mins I think.
If the issue is with customers playing whatever they like, just remove that ability and only allow the built in presets. Not sure how disabling a safety feature completely improves pedestrian safety.
Fine, just get rid of the stupid noisemaker entirely.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQyIr9-36XM