Tesla recalls almost 135000 vehicles over touchscreen failures – Engadget

The company isn’t all that enthusiastic, however. It rejected the notion that the chip wear represented a defect, arguing to officials that it was “economically, if not technologically, infeasible” to expect the eMMC storage to last a vehicle’s whole useful lifespan. It was conducting the recall to end the investigation and improve the customer experience. In the recall notice, the NHTSA said it “does not agree” and that this didn’t change Tesla’s obligations.

This isn’t Tesla’s only recall in recent memory. It asked some Model X owners to have their vehicles serviced over corroded power steering bolts in early 2020.

The touchscreen failures are concerning, though. While it’s true that eMMC storage isn’t guaranteed to last (flash memory by its nature eventually loses write ability), it’s linked to important car functions — and many drivers might not know about that longevity. Ideally, car makers like Tesla would make it clear when components like this are likely to fail and ask drivers to come in well before those failures happen.