A Harris County sheriff’s constable said in April that evidence at the scene of the accident suggested that no one was driving the car when it crashed.
The automaker also reported a big jump in revenue, to $13.8 billion from $8.8 billion a year ago, as sales of the Model Y continue to rise.
In a letter, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reminded Tesla that federal law requires automakers to initiate recalls if they find defects that pose a safety risk.
General Motors has recalled 141,000 Bolts to replace battery packs that can catch on fire because of manufacturing defects.
G.M. hopes to develop ride-hailing services that use autonomous cars, create insurance products and expand its defense contracting work.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said battery fires in Tesla’s electric vehicles when no crash was involved were “rare events.”
The automaker and a supplier will spend $11.4 billion on three battery factories and a truck plant, creating 11,000 jobs.
The recall now covers 2017-2022 models. The latest move, to add three more model years, will increase costs by $1 billion.
A 2019 crash in Florida highlights how gaps in Tesla’s driver-assistance system and distractions can have tragic consequences.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it is aware of 11 crashes since 2018 when Tesla vehicles operating under Autopilot control have hit emergency vehicles.
