Tesla issued another “safety recall,” a term the company doesn’t like because the recall didn’t require a physical recall of the 30,000 vehicles affected. An over-the-air software update was the fix.
What was less reported, though, is that almost all of those recalls were fairly simple software issues that Tesla has been able to fix through over-the-air software updates.
Whenever there’s a safety-related issue, NHTSA has to issue a “safety recall,” even if the automaker doesn’t have to physically recall any vehicle, which leads to some confusion.
Again last month, a Tesla recall of “1 million vehicles” made many headlines when the recall simply consisted of Tesla changing how its software handled window operations. These instances have led Tesla CEO Elon Musk to complain about the term “recall” and how it is being used against Tesla by the media.
We get another example today of such “recall.” NHTSA released a voluntary recall notice from Tesla for about 30,000 Model X vehicles related to airbag deployment behavior for small children in the front seat:
On certain 2021-2023 Model X vehicles, the restraint control module (RCM) calibration may result in the frontal passenger airbag deploying in an unintended configuration during certain low-speed collision events. This may result in noncompliance with FMVSS 208, Sections 21.4 and 23.4, when a 3- or 6-year-old front passenger, respectively, is unbelted and out of position.
According to the recall notice, Tesla started pushing an over-the-air software update to fix the issue earlier this week:
In a low-speed collision event where a 3- or 6-year-old front passenger is unbelted and out of position, the remedy OTA firmware update ensures that the frontal passenger airbag complies with FMVSS 208, Sections 21.4 and 23.4, whereas a firmware release without the remedy does not ensure compliance.
Here’s the chronology of the recall:
On October 18, 2022, Tesla conducted a pre-scheduled Conformity of Production test to confirm compliance with FMVSS 208 on a current production Model X vehicle. In the test, the vehicle restraint system deployment logic did not operate as designed.
On October 25, 2022, additional tests were conducted to confirm the results of the test conducted on October 18, 2022.
Between November 2 – 7, 2022, based on the results of two prior tests, Tesla conducted out of position confirmatory tests to assess compliance with FMVSS 208, Sections 21, 23, and 25.
On November 8, 2022, test results were analyzed, and non-compliance was verified with Sections 21.4 and 23.4. A voluntary recall determination was made on the same day.
As of November 8, 2022, Tesla is not aware of any warranty claims, field reports, crashes, injuries, or deaths related to this condition.
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Earlier this year, Apple canceled its decade-long Project Titan electric car initiative, but a new report from DigiTimessays that Apple’s electric vehicle ambitions might not be over. According to the story, Apple is “assessing the possibility of teaming up with a certain US EV startup, and Rivian is a very likely candidate.”
The report says that there is “speculation among supply chains” that Apple is investigating teaming up with an EV startup. DigiTimes suggests that Apple could take its 10 years of EV and autonomous driving research and team up with another company instead of making its own car.
While it’s “uncertain what form such a collaboration could take,” this report suggests that Rivian is the leading candidate, based on supply chain sources.
There are no other details provided in the DigiTimes report. It’s unclear what a partnership between Apple and Rivian would look like – or whether Rivian would even be interested in such an arrangement. Still, at least based on DigiTimes supply chain sources, it’s something Apple is “studying.”
9to5Mac’s Take
As much as I’d love to see a partnership between Apple and Rivian, I’m choosing not to get my hopes up about this one. The report is scarce on details, and sounds as if it’s based purely on speculation among Apple’s suppliers. I’d wait for something more concrete before getting too excited.
Perhaps most importantly, Apple could provide Rivian with some crucial cash as the company enters the challenging process of ramping up production of its new R2, R3, and R3X cars.
Do you think Apple should team up with Rivian? What kind of collaboration could Apple have in mind? Let us know down in the comments.
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A building of Stockholm Exergi in Stockholm, Sweden, Sept. 5, 2022.
He Miao | Xinhua | Getty Images
Microsoft signed a deal to remove to permanently remove 3.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide with Swedish energy company Stockholm Exergi, the companies announced on Monday.
The contract with Microsoft is the world’s largest carbon removal deal to date, Stockholm Exergi said in a statement. Delivery of the carbon removal certificates to Microsoft are planned to begin in 2028 and will continue for a decade, according to Stockholm Exergi.
The Swedish company, which provides power to the people of Stockholm, plans to build a carbon capture and storage project that will permanently remove 800,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.
Construction on the carbon capture project is scheduled to start in 2025. The contract with Microsoft will help the project move closer to a final investment decision in the fourth quarter of this year, said Anders Egelrud, the CEO of Stockholm Exergi, in the statement.
The carbon capture project will be installed at Stockholm Exergi’s biomass power plant, which is the largest of its kind in Europe. The plant burns waste from the forestry industry and paper mills to produce heat and electricity.
Carbon dioxide released from those materials during incineration will be removed from the gas emitted from the plant, liquified for transport and permanently stored underground.
Stockholm Exergi is selling carbon removal certificates, equivalent to 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, to help companies achieve their net-zero emissions goals.
“Leveraging existing biomass power plants is a crucial first step to building worldwide carbon removal capacity,” said Brian Marrs, Microsoft’s senior director of energy and carbon removal, in a statement.