Tesla Risks Undermining Autopilot by Neglecting to Recall Cars

Tesla Inc. is on a collision course with the top U.S. auto-safety regulator over technology that’s been key to the company becoming far and away the world’s most valuable carmaker.

Last month, Tesla beamed an over-the-air software update to its vehicles aimed at improving how its driver-assistance system Autopilot handles crash scenes. Weeks earlier, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration <-bsp-bb-link state="{"bbDocId":"QXXYCNDWLU6C","_id":"0000017c-7f27-d3ae-a3fd-7f372c5f0000","_type":"0000016b-944a-dc2b-ab6b-d57ba1cc0000"}">opened an investigation into whether Autopilot was defective after repeated collisions with police cars and fire trucks.

Tesla made the potentially fateful decision to deploy the update without initiating a recall. The move opened the company up to risks including ...