Tesla quietly started selling Model 3 with old chips due to coronavirus

Despite the convenience of Tesla andthe advanced capabilities of these cars related to network connectivity are a concern for many car owners because the manufacturer essentially has remote access to their cars. In the case of an ordinary car, even if the functions are related to software, a technician or a mechanic will need physical access to the car - Tesla is enough to do everything “through the air”. So, a month ago, the company remotely turned off the autopilot on the Model S after reselling the car (though, as soon as the owner lifted a fly on the Internet, everything was returned). Now the owners of Model 3 are under attack.

Tesla Model 3 is a pretty popular electric car in China

Tesla Model 3 Issues

Tesla quietly began to sell Model 3with the old version of the controller chip in China, writes Nikkei. The company, of course, did not warn new customers that the old chip was in their cars: this became known only after the owners noticed that the part number printed on stickers affixed to the control unit inside the car did not match the information sheet Model 3. The problem would not be so serious, only the new chip is 21 times faster than the old one!

Buyers were sure they were acquiringcars with the latest equipment, but in fact received an outdated model. Why did this happen? Due to supply chain problems caused by an outbreak of coronavirus. Tesla was forced to temporarily close its new factory in Shanghai on January 29 for ten days.

Part number in documents and on the car does not match

“We deeply regret the confusion that wethey called some owners of Tesla, ”the company said in a statement on the Chinese social network Weibo. In addition, she allegedly did not mislead anyone, and replacing the chip “almost didn’t matter” to the driver or the safety of the car. However, Tesla said it would provide free hardware updates for customers as soon as production resumes.

The problem could be settled, only here was the discussion that Ilon Musk entered into discussion with his Twitter. He wrote that customers who complained did not order the full autopilot (FSD) option.

True Oddly, those who complained didn’t actually order FSD. Perhaps they weren’t aware that the computer is upgraded for free if the FSD option is ordered even after delivery.

- Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 4, 2020

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Perhaps they did not know that the car computer is updated for free if the FSD option was ordered even after delivery.

Only here is the full autopilot function (it’sFSD) costs an additional $ 7,000 to the price of Model 3. And this statement contradicts the initial Tesla statement, which promised to upgrade the chip for all the buyers it concerns, for free, and not just for those who ordered their cars with FSD. This was noticed by Business Insider, and Tesla then declined to comment on this issue.

Topic: Elon Musk announces the release of the cheapest version of Tesla Model 3

Elon Musk will move to China

At the beginning of last year during the visit of the creatorTesla and SpaceX in China, the local government gave the entrepreneur a Chinese "green card", which allows Mask to become a tax resident in China and conduct business in this country. China was the first market other than the United States, where Tesla decided to deploy its own production. Elon Musk clearly understands the full potential of the Chinese market and its workforce - not for nothing that most companies, including Apple, produce their devices there. China allows you to minimize costs, unlike the United States.

And if the US government continuesaggressive policy towards Ilon Mask (this includes the proceedings with the Securities Commission, and Trump's close attention), he may well move to China and transfer all production to this country. The local government will be happy to accept investments of this size, and the entrepreneur himself will be able to reduce costs.

Amid this, the news on Model 3's limitationsChina is very surprising. And if none of the owners paid attention to it? Would Tesla solve the problem by air itself? Share what you think about it in our Telegram chat.