Elon Musk-led Tesla, along with 10 other automakers, has launched software updates on Friday (August 21), during which they would recall nearly 4.3 million vehicles over concerns it may be difficult to open doors during emergencies, marking the incident as China’s largest automotive recall to date.
The combined action of the 11 automakers comes after Beijing’s increased oversight activities of the EV industry. The Xi Jinping administration has introduced tougher safety requirements amid the backdrop of automakers locked in a fierce price war, reportedly prioritizing the quick rollout of technologies in the world’s largest vehicle market.
China will also ban concealed door handles from 2027, making it the first country to phase out a design popularized by Tesla and widely adopted by domestic Chinese EV makers.
Most of the actions, classified as product recalls under Chinese regulations, address concerns that emergency mechanical door release handles may be difficult to locate or operate during emergencies.
“Nine of the 11 automakers, including Tesla and Xiaomi, will install warning labels free of charge to identify the handles, while most will also deploy over-the-air, or remote, software updates,” reported Reuters.
Tesla’s recall will be the largest, concerning 2.98 million imported and China-made Model 3, Model Y, Model S, and Model X vehicles that will be withdrawn from September 25, the company told the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR).
The American automaker said mechanical emergency door-release handles may be difficult to identify following a severe collision and electrical system failure, potentially hindering occupants’ escape or rescuers’ access.
“Tesla’s remedy includes warning labels and an update delivered remotely that automatically lowers vehicle windows after a collision,” said the statement from the State Administration for Market Regulation.
Apart from Tesla and Xiaomi, Leapmotor, Xpeng, and Geely Holding also announced their largest recalls on record, according to their filings to SAMR.
Xiaomi will recall about 390,000 vehicles, Leapmotor about 371,000, and Xpeng about 264,000. The other companies that filed with the regulator are undertaking much smaller recalls.
Leapmotor, releasing a media note, said the upgrade involved only a warning label and updating the power-window control software, but that it was “managing and filing it in accordance with the recall process out of a sense of responsibility to our users.”