Chinese regulators are ordering Tesla to fix nearly three million vehicles already on the country’s roads, with two separate recall campaigns addressing door safety and driver monitoring. The action reflects a broader regulatory push to address risks posed by electronically controlled car doors after a string of deadly accidents.
New rules taking effect next year will require all newly approved vehicles to follow specific dimensions for door handles, a response to crashes in which occupants became trapped inside burning cars. Existing models, such as the Model 3 and Model Y, are grandfathered in until at least the end of 2028.
Even so, China wants Tesla to take action on the nearly three million cars already in circulation. The company must add warning labels to vehicle interiors, which requires physical access to each car. Tesla will also push out a software update that automatically lowers all windows in the event of a collision.
A second recall, covering 2.74 million cars, targets the driver monitoring system. That system currently uses only a torque sensor in the steering wheel to determine whether the driver is holding the wheel and remaining engaged. The update will instead use the interior camera in the Model 3 and Model Y to track the driver’s gaze.
Electrek has previously reported that some Chinese Tesla owners have defeated the cabin driver monitoring system, which the company has offered with its more advanced partially automated driving system, by mounting a doll’s head in front of the camera.
The two recalls underscore how Chinese regulators are tightening oversight of automotive safety features, especially those that depend on electronic controls and driver attention. Tesla is now required to implement both fixes, though it remains unclear how effective the software changes will be.
