Another Tesla recall has shaken the EV market. This time, it focuses on aspects of the brand’s cruise control software. Almost all of the vehicles produced in Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory have been affected, according to CNN. Chinese lawmakers allege that the cruise control system on Tesla Model 3 and Y vehicles can be accidentally activated, apparently leading to “sudden and unexpected acceleration.”

Recalls hit Tesla’s Chinese market hard

Unfortunately, this is a big blow for Tesla. The company’s Shanghai-based Gigafactory was only just built. Additionally, the Chinese market is one of Tesla’s largest. They say that no press is bad press, but this is certainly bad press for the EV maker. What’s more, the total number of recalls nears 300,000 vehicles. Interestingly, some of the models affected were in fact imported ones.

These imported models were the brand’s own Model 3 vehicles. To be more specific, 35,665 of them. So, there’s clearly more to this. Were those vehicles produced at another plant, and could this lead to yet more Tesla recalls? As this is emerging, we’re unsure as of yet. Thankfully, there’s some good news for Tesla. Due to the way that Chinese law works, this isn’t a full-blown recall. This is largely owed to the fact that the issue can be fixed with an over-the-air update.

This isn’t the first Tesla recall

Fixes like the one Tesla will surely implement are certainly one of the perks of newer cars. Over-the-air updates are able to fix issues like this one relatively quickly. Regardless, that’s definitely one upside of Tesla ownership. The update would mean that customers don’t need to go into a dealership to have the issue rectified. This isn’t the first time Tesla has saved everyone a headache via over-the-air updates either.

Back in 2017, Tesla was able to fix another “recall” via one of its updates. An issue caused a defect in the airbags of right-hand-drive Model X SUVs. Moreover, the whole issue was said and done within a matter of days. While this does not absolve Tesla of blame for the issue in the first place, it’s good to see the EV maker getting changes made as quickly as they did in this instance.

How will another Tesla recall affect the brand?

However, the brand has developed a reputation for controversy over the quality of its products. While it’s great to see them owning issues and resolving them in a timely manner, these issues should be addressed at the factory. Ideally, this latest Tesla recall will come as a sort of wake-up call to the manufacturer. With issues like this fast becoming part of Tesla’s image, it won’t be long before more serious complaints are lodged against the brand regarding the quality of their product. Tesla is capable of making fantastic cars, and it would be a shame for this to continue to damage the brand.