It was a real frustrating comment section to read. Half the comments being a variation of "it's not a recall, it's an update" while conveniently ignoring that a recall has a legal meaning with obligation to contact vehicle owners by mail and stuff like that.
It really felt like a bunch of Tesla owners felt personally attacked ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
It's a legal term that hasn't caught up to modern standards as that word still implies a physical need to return your vehicle for service. When in reality it's the same as a forced security update on your phone or PC.
When a vehicle has a defect that can pose safety issues, a recall is issued. I don't see why we should handle software defects differently from hardware defects.
I understand the point you make, but this is entirely semantics and is not a real world issue. Tesla owners will receive a notice of recall that will clearly state that there will be an OTA update, they will read it and move on.
Tesla Recalls 2M Cars to Fix Autopilot Safety Flaws
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38625652 (200 comments)