A California administrative law judge has ruled that Tesla misled consumers with its “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) branding. According to the ruling, these names imply that the cars can drive themselves, despite lacking that capability. The decision requires Tesla to rename its driver-assistance systems or face a potential 30-day suspension of its dealer license in the state, Sherwood News reports.
The ruling comes after years of scrutiny over Tesla’s marketing tactics. US regulators have repeatedly opened investigations into Autopilot’s safety record, examining how the system handles reduced visibility and its tendency to collide with emergency vehicles. Federal agencies have previously noted that systems labeled “Full Self-Driving” still require active supervision, a point critics say is often overlooked in the hype.
Tesla has up to 90 days to comply with the order. If the company fails to update its branding on systems requiring human oversight, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) can enforce the threatened sales suspension. This would stop Tesla from selling new vehicles in its largest US market for a month, though it would not affect manufacturing.
The decision adds to a growing list of challenges for Tesla, which has previously recalled millions of vehicles due to Autopilot safety concerns and has even faced a criminal probe related to the software.
