Tesla, the leader in the electric vehicle industry, has been hit by a series of bad news from regulators in the US and China over its electric vehicles. The company is facing investigations, recalls, and lawsuits over various issues, ranging from steering wheels falling off to software updates affecting braking methods.

One of the most serious issues is the alleged unintended acceleration of some Tesla models, which prompted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to reopen an investigation that it closed in 2021. The investigation covers about 1.8 million EVs sold in the US, including Model S, Model X, Model 3, and Model Y vehicles.

The NHTSA received more than 200 complaints from Tesla owners who claimed that their vehicles suddenly accelerated without their input, causing crashes and injuries. Tesla denied that there was any defect in its vehicles and blamed the incidents on driver error or pedal misapplication.

Another issue that Tesla is facing is the steering wheel problem that affected its best-selling Model Y SUV. The NHTSA launched an investigation in March 2023 after reports that the steering wheel could detach from the steering column while driving. The investigation involved about 100,000 Model Y vehicles produced between 2019 and 2023.

Tesla also had to recall thousands of Model S vehicles in China due to a problem with the front trunk latch lock that could cause the front lid to pop open while driving. The recall affected 2,649 Model S vehicles produced in Tesla’s Fremont, Calif., plant between Oct. 14, 2015 and Aug. 23, 2020. This followed a previous recall of 19,697 Model S vehicles in China for similar reasons.

In addition to these hardware defects, Tesla also faced regulatory scrutiny over its software updates for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature, which is an advanced option of its Autopilot driver assistance system. The FSD feature has been involved in several fatal accidents that are under investigation by the NHTSA and other authorities. Regulators want to determine whether FSD was active at the time of the crashes and whether Tesla misled consumers and regulators over how FSD performs.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has defended FSD as a life-saving technology that is not fully autonomous but requires active driver supervision. He also argued that using the word “recall” for an over-the-air software update is “anachronistic and just flat wrong!”. However, the NHTSA considers any corrective action taken by a manufacturer to resolve a safety issue as a recall.

These regulatory challenges threaten Tesla’s reputation and market share as it faces increasing competition from other electric vehicle makers such as Lucid Motors, Rivian, and Ford. Tesla has been struggling to meet its delivery targets and maintain its profitability amid supply chain disruptions and rising costs. The company reported its best quarterly delivery results in the second quarter of 2023 with 466,140 EVs delivered and about 889,000 for the first half. However, it also reported a net loss of $23 million for the second quarter, compared to a net income of $438 million for the same period in 2022.

Tesla has been known for its innovation and vision in the electric vehicle industry. Still, as it becomes a major player in the auto business, it joins legacy automakers in addressing quality and safety issues to maintain its leadership position and customer loyalty.