South Korea is investigating suspected safety issues with Tesla vehicles in the country.
A transport ministry official claims that the braking and steering systems of Tesla’s Autopilot function are part of the investigation but declined to elaborate. However, it has been confirmed that the Tesla Model 3 is under investigation and that the probe could take anywhere from six months to a year.
Speaking with Reuters, an official from Tesla’s South Korean unit said it will cooperate with the investigation.
Read More: South Koreans Love Teslas, Model 3 Becomes Nation’s No.2 Imported Vehicle
News of this investigation comes on the back of rising Tesla sales across South Korea. In fact, it is reported that local car manufacturer Hyundai has watched the rise of Tesla in the country and is embarking on an electric vehicle offensive in a bid to compete.
An internal union newsletter seen by Reuters has indicated that Hyundai will introduce two production lines dedicated to electric vehicles. The first will be ready next year and the second in 2024.
It is understood that the executive vice-chairman of the Hyundai Motor Group, Euison Chung, has held a series of meetings since May with his counterparts at Samsung, LG and SK Group to try and secure a supply of batteries for future electric vehicles. This news comes shortly after Chung announced that Hyundai Motor Group is looking to sell 1 million electric vehicles a year and wants to grab a global market share of over 10 per cent by 2025.
