Mercedes-Benz Dealership in Texas Distributes Article on Tesla Autopilot Recall
In a surprising turn of events, a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Houston, Texas has reportedly been handing out printed copies of an article discussing the recent Tesla Autopilot recall. The incident came to light when a customer, who owns a Tesla Model Y Performance, received a handout detailing the recall after bringing their Mercedes in for a service appointment.
The article, originally published by CNN, covered the recall that was announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) just last week. However, Tesla wasted no time in addressing the issues raised in the recall, swiftly deploying a software update to rectify the concerns. This software update aimed to enhance the Autopilot’s Autosteer system to ensure better driver attentiveness.
The incident at the Mercedes dealership was brought to public attention by the Tesla Club of Greater Houston, which shared the occurrence on their Facebook group. The handout, which contained the CNN article, was accompanied by a business card from Christopher O’banion, a salesperson at the Mercedes of Houston Greenway location.
It remains unclear whether this article was distributed to multiple customers or solely to the individual in question. However, the incident suggests that the dealership may be concerned about competition from Tesla, despite the recall already being resolved through the software update.
The term “recall” itself has attracted criticism within the Tesla community. Many argue that it is an inaccurate term to use in this case since the issues were swiftly addressed and fixed through the software update. Nevertheless, the NHTSA’s recall notice extended to more than two million Tesla vehicles.
The software update deployed by Tesla included additional safety checks and controls for the Autopilot system. These features were designed to remind drivers of their continuous driving responsibility and encourage them to remain attentive while using Autosteer. Depending on the vehicle’s hardware, these added controls range from more prominent visual alerts to simplified engagement and disengagement of Autosteer, as well as additional checks when approaching traffic controls.
Despite these developments, Christopher O’banion, the salesperson listed on the Mercedes dealership’s business card, has not responded to requests for comment regarding the incident and the motivations behind distributing the article.
This occurrence raises important questions about the dealership’s intentions and actions in sharing the article. It remains to be seen whether there will be any repercussions or further investigation into this matter. As Tesla continues to dominate the electric vehicle market, incidents like these highlight the tensions between traditional automotive manufacturers and their electrified competitors.
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