NEW YORK: Tesla was recalling over a half a million US electric cars due to a “Boombox” feature that can drown out audible warnings for pedestrians, in the fourth recall made public in two weeks, records showed Thursday.
The automaker faces increasing scrutiny from American regulators, as watchdogs have accused Elon Musk’s firm of pushing safety limits.
US authorities have set specific standards for the sounds that electric and hybrid vehicles must make, which are quieter than vehicles with internal combustion engines, in order to warn pedestrians.
Yet the “Boombox” option launched by Tesla in late 2020, which allows custom sounds like music to be emitted from an outdoor speaker when the car is parked or moving, could…
