Lucid is recalling several hundred of its new Air sedans to address a mechanical issue that can lead to a loss of drive power. The EV startup says the problem is likely to manifest only in a handful of its vehicles (with 99.999% confidence, no less) because believe it or not, there’s an app for that. We’re being a bit flippant, but like Tesla
As we noted at the top, the issue here is actually a moving part: a spring. It’s built into a component called the contactor, which is the electrically activated switch that controls power flow to the electric drive system. When the contactor is open, the Lucid Air
“If a contactor opens unexpectedly while driving, the vehicle’s electric motors will no longer be supplied power. This may lead to a loss of propulsion without pre-warning and may increase the risk of a crash,” Lucid’s defect report said. “The driver would not receive a warning prior to an unexpected contactor opening as a result of this condition. When an unexpected contactor opening occurs, the driver receives notifications of a system fault and that driving power is reduced. Vehicle displays, power steering, and power brakes
This is where Lucid’s OTA trickery comes into play. The company’s software team slipped a diagnostic tool into a recent update. This tag-along can detect the electronic signature created when a spring overpowers its magnet inside the contactor. With this data, Lucid knows which cars need attention from a technician. The only exceptions are those which, for whatever reason, have not been updated to the latest version of Lucid’s onboard software; they will be asked to update their cars as the first step in conducting the recall.
Some owners have already been notified of the issue; those whose vehicles were identified later in the process will be notified starting in April.
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