Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

Mercedes-Benz Group AG is recalling 144,049 vehicles in the United States due to an issue affecting the instrument panel, according to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which announced the decision on Friday, AzerNEWS reports, citing foreign media.

The recall covers certain 2024–2026 model year vehicles, including the AMG GT, C-Class, E-Class, SL, CLE, and GLC. According to the agency, the infotainment control unit may unexpectedly reset while the vehicle is in motion, causing the instrument cluster display to go blank. This could potentially increase the risk of a crash, as drivers may temporarily lose access to critical driving information such as speed and warning indicators.

Mercedes-Benz stated that authorized dealers will update the infotainment control unit software free of charge to resolve the issue. Vehicle owners are expected to receive official notification letters starting June 26.

The company emphasized that no accidents or injuries related to this defect have been reported so far. However, the recall highlights the growing complexity of modern vehicles, where software plays an increasingly central role in safety and driving experience.

Automotive experts note that such issues are becoming more common as cars evolve into “computers on wheels.” Modern vehicles often contain more than 100 million lines of code—more than some aircraft systems—which means software stability is now just as important as mechanical reliability. Some analysts believe that future recalls will be driven less by mechanical faults and more by software bugs, pushing carmakers toward adopting over-the-air update systems similar to smartphones.