The California Department of Motor Vehicles has once again criticized Tesla’s statements on autopilot and self-driving in a complaint it submitted on July 28.
The business is accused of making “false or misleading” claims about the availability of sophisticated driver aid systems in Tesla vehicles in advertisements posted on its website, according to the complaint.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles has accused Tesla of false advertising in its promotion of "full self-driving" software — which does not actually allow full-self driving. Details from @russ1mitchell: https://t.co/vUeU2mKfpx
— Sammy Roth (@Sammy_Roth) August 5, 2022
The complaint stated that between May 2021 and July 2022, the Tesla (TSLA) adverts appeared in marketing materials on the company’s website “on at least five dates.”
They contained descriptions like “It used phrases like “All you will need to do is get in and instruct your auto where to go… ” and “Full Self-Driving Capability.” Your Tesla will choose the best path, negotiating city streets, tricky crossings, and freeways “claimed the suit
The California DMV also claimed that the statement “The technology is designed to be able to execute short and long-distance trips without any action by the person in the driver’s seat” was misleading.
According to California’s Civil Code, “these advertising are a misleading practise,” according to the DMV complaint.
Typically, Tesla does not respond to requests for comment.
Contrary to the “misleading labels and promises,” Tesla has published disclaimers as recently as June, stressing that the features still require active driver supervision.
According to the complaint, Tesla’s promotional activities could result in a temporary loss of its California manufacturer licence and special plate number.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in June that 273 accidents involving Tesla driver-assist technology occurred in the previous nine months, either as a result of Tesla Autopilot or the company’s “full self-driving” software.
According to the NHTSA’s analysis of 497 crashes, 43 per cent of them had driver-assist technologies and happened in California.
One of the autopilot systems with the highest usage rates in the sector is Tesla’s Autopilot, which is a standard feature in all of its vehicles. Tesla cautions customers to maintain attention when using it, but a 2021
MIT study found that users were more distracted and looked away from the road more frequently when using the system than when not using it.
To avoid a default judgement, Tesla has 15 days to respond to the allegation.
According to the government, this complaint is distinct from a current investigation into the intended architecture and technological prowess of Tesla automobiles.
The lawsuit was first reported by The Los Angeles Times.
