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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( NHTSA ) has opened aninvestigationinto a Lucid Motors windscreen defroster recall from January , saying it ’s “ concerned ” the company ’s over - the - atmosphere update answer does n’t go far enough to unsex the problem . Lucid , meanwhile , told TechCrunch that the agency “ understates the therapeutic being offered . ”
The investigation comes as some automakers are increasingly relying on software updates to fix problems that would usually require a sojourn to a dealership or servicing center . While the probe is not as high - stakes as , say , the one the agency has open into Tesla’sproblems with its Autopilot driver - assistance system , it show NHTSA is give close attention to what automakers think over - the - zephyr updates should — and should n’t — be used for .
The recall involves 2,042 Lucid Air sedans built with a high - voltage coolant warmer from provider Webasto AG that , when it go wrong , removes the power to deice the windscreen . Lucid ’s solution for the recall was to send an over - the - air update that could identify which automobile had the part and reactively warn the number one wood if it fails .
NHTSA ’s Office of Defects Investigation nowsaysit is “ interested that by only providing a telling to drivers that their windscreen defroster is not work , Lucid place the driver in a position where they could feel the failure during the same drive cycle as they get the notice . ” This could hypothetically make drivers to discover out the lineament is unavailable at the instant they need to defrost their windshield — meaning they would also not be capable to request a free replacement part until after a failure .
The agency notes that Jaguar Land Rover took a more proactive approach with its electric SUV , the I - Pace , which briefly used this same heater from Webasto . Jaguarannouncedin 2023 that it would alert all 668 stirred owners and supervene upon the part for detached .
Lucid is compose its approach as innovative , though . The troupe sound out the over - the - air update introduced a “ diagnostic software feature ” that actively supervise the heater for geological fault , and it “ stand for to manifest that the psychoanalysis underlying this approach is intelligent and that customer safety is insure . ” The ship’s company also said it is alert all sham owners electronically and by ring armour , so they wo n’t find out after a nonstarter , as NHTSA suggests .
