RECALL-LESS RECALLS: Tesla’s Autopilot investigation could change the nature of auto recalls.

Still, the Tesla investigation suggests that in the future, automakers may be able to avoid costly recalls through software updates before investigations into potential defects even close.

NHTSA even acknowledges that the Tesla update addressed some of its concerns about Autopilot in its report. That’s something most traditional automakers can’t currently do during an ongoing investigation because their vehicles aren’t capable of wireless updates. Instead, most car owners today have to take their vehicle to a dealer to get a software update.

In the future, NHTSA may change how it handles defects if it determines issuing a software update is faster than the recall process, Thomas said.

Over-the-air car fixes would certainly be a money-saver, and automakers could pass that savings on to consumers. But there’s also the risk of over-the-air car hacking, which isn’t exactly the stuff of science fiction.