FILE PHOTO: Tesla EVs are parked in Hanam, South Korea, on July 6, 2020. REUTERS / Kim Hong-Ji
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea said it is investigating possible security problems with vehicles manufactured by US automaker Tesla Inc (TSLA.O), which competes heavily with Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) in the South Korean electric vehicle market.
The braking and steering systems, including the autopilot function, were part of the investigation, a transport ministry official said on Wednesday.
The ministry declined to provide further details, but the South Korean media said Tesla Model 3 was under investigation, and the investigation could take anywhere from six months to a year.
Tesla will cooperate with the investigation, an official from its South Korean unit said.
Last year, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board cited Tesla’s autopilot driver and design errors as the likely cause of a January 2018 accident of a Model S in California.
In Hyundai’s local market, Tesla had its best month in June, with its Model 3 outperforming Hyundai’s Kona EV, as well as premium models from BMW and Audi.
Reports from Joyce Lee and Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Stephen Coates
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