Tesla plans software update for 435,000 vehicles

As Bloomberg reports, Tesla has initiated an extensive software update for a total of 435,000 of the manufacturer’s vehicles. Affected are the models, which were produced in China. The cause of the update is defective taillights, which are said to affect the vehicles.

Problems with Tesla accumulate

Already a few days ago, we reported that Tesla initiated a recall due to faulty rear lights and airbags. The electric carmaker will apparently soon make the appropriate software update available to its customers. The defect with the rear lighting is by no means new. Last month, Tesla already had to offer its customers a suitable software update to repair the faulty lighting. Now the next software update follows, which will hopefully solve the problem for good.

However, faulty taillights are not the only problem Tesla is currently struggling with. On top of that, the electric carmaker is still reeling from the recent serious accident with two deaths in southern China. The sad leading role was played by a Tesla Model Y. According to the driver, sudden, unintended acceleration is said to have occurred while driving. Whether the car is actually to blame has yet to be clarified. The Chinese traffic safety authority fears that the faulty tail lights could now once again be a source of danger.

E car market in China is competitive

For the automaker itself, the renewed software update is a real image problem that could spoil lucrative business in the Chinese market, which is extremely important for e-car manufacturers. More e-cars were sold there this year than in all other countries in the world combined. With China’s Tesla drivers already having to visit the repair shop last week due to damaged seat belts and battery systems, frustration could well increase over time. Thus, Tesla could possibly gamble away its popularity in China again. Due to a price reduction of Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, the company experienced a real run on the two electric cars in recent months. However, if the quality suffers as a result of the price reduction, many Chinese customers may look for alternatives. There are now many such alternatives.