Lyra Martin Auto 07.04.2022 10:Jul AM EDT

Tesla Cars' New Feature in its Adaptive Suspension Can Scan Potholes and Ragged Roads

Tesla recently announced that its vehicles are now checking for uneven roads, such as potholes, to prevent them from damaging the cars by altering the suspension.

The automatic emergency call system in Tesla models Y and 3 was recalled by Germany's road traffic authority owing to a bug that affected thousands of vehicles globally.

Tesla Cars' Recent Update Can Scan Potholes and Rough Roads to Assist Drivers

In a recent software update, Tesla stated that its cars are now monitoring for bumpy roads, such as potholes, to prevent them from harming the cars by modifying the suspension.

A system would need to be able to manage a variety of situations, including various weather and road conditions, in order to accomplish complete self-driving.

The new function, 'Tesla Adaptive Suspension,' will now adapt ride height for an impending tough road stretch. As the car receives preliminary road map data produced by Tesla vehicles, this correction may take place at different places, depending on availability. This is the first indication that the fleet of Tesla cars is monitoring the roadways to determine its needs.

Tesla describes how to turn on the feature when the suspension is increased for comfort: The instrument cluster will continue to indicate. Select the Comfort or Auto option under Controls > Suspension > Adaptive Suspension Damping to make this function active. The Tesla cars are the new Model S, and Model X will have access to this adaptive suspension capability.

Some individuals doubt that self-driving systems could safely negotiate these circumstances since they may be challenging for human drivers to deal with, such potholes. To gather information on these edge circumstances and train its neural network to handle them, Tesla is using its sizable customer fleet that is outfitted with Autopilot technology.

59,000 Tesla Cars have a Software Issue Says German Authorities

In the face of its software update announcement, on July 3, Germany's road traffic administration recalled the automated emergency call system in Tesla models Y and 3 due to a flaw that affects 59,000 cars worldwide.

The eCall, which is intended to immediately summon emergency services in the case of a catastrophic accident, is malfunctioning, the KBA watchdog said on its website on June 29.

The recall was initially announced on Saturday by German regional radio Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, which covers the area where Tesla's German model Y and battery manufacturing facility are located close to Berlin.

KBA could not say how many of the 59,129 automobiles impacted worldwide were registered in Germany.

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, is already dealing with problems with his company's production and supply chain because of the Covid-19-related closure in China, which impacted deliveries of electric cars in the second quarter, which resulted in 17.9% fewer deliveries than in the first quarter.

According to Musk, Tesla's new plants in Texas and Berlin are yielding billions of dollars as they try to raise production amid a battery shortage and problems with Chinese ports.

Additionally, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) expanded their investigation to 830,000 Tesla cars equipped with the advanced driving assistance system Autopilot in early June, necessary before they could submit a withdrawal request.

Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment.