Tesla ‘recalls’ more than 285,000 vehicles in China over cruise control safety concerns

Tesla has had a run of bad publicity in China so far this year, with officials raising concerns over security risks, and protests about how the US automaker handles customer complaints in the country. On Saturday the stretch of bad news continued, as The Wall Street Journal reported that Tesla is recalling more than 285,000 vehicles in China—most of which were made locally— over a safety risk with the vehicles’ cruise control,

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation said Saturday that the recall includes 249,855 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles that were made in Tesla’s Gigafactory in Shanghai, and 35,655 Model 3 vehicles which were imported, all produced between December 2019 and June 2021, the WSJ reported. According to the regulator the vehicles’ cruise control systems could be activated by accident, causing them to speed up unexpectedly. Owners can upgrade their vehicles’ cruise control systems software remotely.

Tesla didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment sent to its press email on Saturday; the company disbanded its press office and doesn’t usually respond to media requests. The WSJ reported that Tesla posted an apology to its page on Weibo, a social media platform in China.

Tesla signed an agreement to build a facility in China in 2018, and began delivering cars produced at its Shanghai Gigafactory in December 2019. The company said its goal was to produce 500,000 vehicles per year in China, the largest electric vehicle market in the world.