Autonomous Vehicle System Oops! New 2019 Lincoln Nautilus Recall for Hands On/Off Detection Warnings

The oft repeated proposition that autonomous vehicles will be safer is just a theory with little data supporting the widely promoted belief at this point.

Ford Motor Company is issuing a safety recall for 2019 Lincoln Nautilus vehicles equipped with lane-centering assist and adaptive front steering because these vehicles may not detect if a driver has his or her hands off the steering wheel. Lincoln promotes these as advanced safety features. Ford claims it is not aware of any accidents or injuries resulting from this safety defect.

If this safety defect occurs, the hands on/off detection system may not alert the driver to place his or her hands back on the steering wheel, which could increase the risk of a crash. Such systems are building blocks for autonomous vehicles. Dealers will update the power steering control module software in affected vehicles. The Ford reference number for this recall is 19S02.

This recall affects approximately 2,700 Lincoln Nautilus vehicles in North America, including 2,276 in the United States and federalized territories and 371 in Canada. Affected 2019 Lincoln Nautilus vehicles were built at Oakville Assembly Plant, Sept. 5, 2018 to Nov. 19, 2018.