Tesla Expands Driving Assistance Using Interior Cameras… to Better Judge Whether Drivers Are Looking Ahead

*This content was translated by AI.

Tesla is recalling approximately 2.74 million Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in China. This measure was taken following concerns that the existing method, which only checks whether drivers are holding the steering wheel, is insufficient to determine if they are actually looking ahead while using the driving assistance system.

China's State Administration for Market Regulation announced on December 7, 2025, that 2.746 million Model 3 and Model Y vehicles produced locally between March 4, 2019, and December 7, 2025, are subject to recall. Tesla will implement improvements via over-the-air (OTA) software updates without requiring visits to service centers.

The core of this recall is a change in driver monitoring methods. Previously, the "steering wheel torque monitoring" method, which detects whether drivers are applying force to the steering wheel, was primarily used. Going forward, driver monitoring using interior cameras will be added. Chinese authorities determined that under Level 2 "combined driving assistance" systems equipped with Tesla's Autopilot features, the existing system may not provide sufficient warnings when a driver's gaze shifts away from the road. This means simply holding the steering wheel does not necessarily indicate that the driver is actually looking ahead.

The steering wheel torque method can detect whether drivers are gripping the wheel with force, but it cannot determine their facial orientation or eye direction. With the addition of interior cameras, vehicles will be able to recognize drivers' facial movements and eye directions to judge whether they are actually looking at the road. This enables more direct driver monitoring compared to simple steering wheel detection.

This recall includes a significant number of Model 3 and Model Y vehicles produced since 2019, marking a turning point for Tesla to expand camera-based monitoring across all its driving assistance-equipped vehicles in China. Tesla has already been strengthening supervised driving assistance features using interior cameras, while previously "fully autonomous driving" technology is now being operated primarily as driving assistance under names like "Tesla Assisted Driving" in the local market. The Chinese government is also strictly managing expressions and promotions that could mislead consumers into mistaking Level 2 systems requiring driver intervention for fully autonomous driving.

Meanwhile, loopholes have been found even in camera-based driver monitoring systems. In China, some drivers have been reported to place plastic doll heads or figurines in front of interior cameras to trick the system. This involves using inexpensive models to mislead vehicles into believing the driver is looking ahead. As such, simply adding cameras does not completely resolve the issue; developing software with accurate judgment capabilities and technologies to prevent such workarounds remains crucial.

Tesla previously stated in 2021 that it did not activate interior cameras for vehicles sold in China amid growing concerns over vehicle camera and data security. However, this measure expands the role of interior cameras as a key component for enhancing safety in driving assistance systems.

In December 2023, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also initiated a recall of approximately 2 million Tesla vehicles after determining that Autopilot's driver monitoring system was insufficient to prevent misuse. At the time, Tesla strengthened warning and control functions through over-the-air software updates. China is similarly strengthening management standards regarding safety, naming conventions, and driver responsibility for Level 2 driving assistance features. The regulatory direction aims to ensure drivers do not mistake driving assistance systems requiring intervention for fully autonomous driving.

On the same day, Tesla also reported a separate large-scale recall of approximately 3 million vehicles due to difficulties in easily locating interior emergency door release mechanisms during emergencies such as accidents. Combined with the two recall campaigns, the total number of affected vehicles reaches 5.716552 million. Considering that China is an important market for Tesla following the United States, this recall represents a significant scale.

This measure demonstrates that as Level 2 driving assistance technology advances, it is not only critical for vehicles to accurately perceive surrounding conditions but also essential to verify whether drivers are genuinely focused on driving.

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*This content was translated by AI.