Tesla accused of spreading misleading statements
Tesla “has made or disseminated statements that are false or misleading, and not based on fact,” the DMV said in those complaints filed July 28, reports the Los Angeles Times. The manufacturers’ cars have never been able, “and cannot today, operate as autonomous vehicles”, according to the document cited by the Californian newspaper.
The DMV criticizes Tesla for having used advertising language attributing to these systems broader performance than they actually have. Clearly to use the term Autopilot to name its system, a name confusing people’s minds because it suggests that the vehicle can move entirely on its own, which is not the case.
Towards a revocation of manufacturing and sales licenses in California?
If the Californian authority won a victory against the manufacturer, the consequences could be very penalizing for Tesla. The decision could even lead to the revocation of the licenses authorizing the manufacturer to produce or market its vehicles in California, thus indicates the LA Times. Which specifies, however, that the measures envisaged concern rather the precision of the information that the manufacturer will have to provide to its customers.
When Elon Musk plays with fire with autonomous driving
Last June, fiery Tesla boss Elon Musk stressed the importance of fully self-driving to the company, adding that without it his company’s value would be “close to zero”.
The stock markets reacted harshly to this information, with Tesla shares posting a sharp decline at the close of the New York Stock Exchange on Friday, falling 6.63% to 864.51 dollars.
Tesla also in the crosshairs of the NHTSA
The US Highway Safety Agency (NHTSA) also has Tesla in its sights. It must be said that vehicles from the manufacturers equipped with autonomous driving software have been involved in 273 accidents in the United States, according to a report published in June.
To try to see more clearly, the agency is investigating the American manufacturer’s driver assistance system. His report focuses on vehicles with Level 2 software, which requires an attentive driver who is ready to take back control at a moment’s notice.
In total, according to the NHTSA, Tesla models were the subject of nearly 70% of the reports of the 392 accidents listed in this category, for almost all between July 2021 and mid-May 2022.
Our opinion, by leblogauto.com
Tesla’s Autopilot seems to be increasingly in the crosshairs of different regulatory bodies. And the fact of naming – and therefore implicitly of qualifying – the autonomous driving system “Autopilot, or automatic pilot” does nothing to help the case by adding ambiguity.
In this game Tesla could lose big ….
Source: AFP