DETROIT (NEWSnet/AP) — Tesla is recalling nearly all of the vehicles recently sold in the U.S., more than 2 million across its model lineup, to fix a system that’s supposed to ensure drivers are paying attention when they use Autopilot.

The recall covers models Y, S, 3 and X produced between Oct. 5, 2012, and Dec. 7 of this year. The update was to be sent to some of the affected vehicles on Tuesday, with the rest getting it at a later date, the documents said.

Documents posted Wednesday by U.S. safety regulators say the company will send out a software update to fix the problems; specifically invoking additional controls and alerts.

The recall comes after a two-year investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into a crashes that happened while the Autopilot partially automated driving system was in use. Some were deadly.

Autopilot includes features called Autosteer and Traffic Aware Cruise Control, with Autosteer intended for use on limited access freeways. The software update apparently will limit how and where Autosteer can be used.

Auto safety advocates for years have been calling for stronger regulation of the driver monitoring system, which mainly detects whether a driver's hands are on the steering wheel.

Autopilot can steer, accelerate and brake automatically in its lane, but is a driver-assist system and cannot drive itself. Independent tests have found that the monitoring system is easy to fool, to the point that some drivers have been caught while driving drunk or sitting in the back seat.

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