Tesla and Elon Sued for Selling Autopilot Features that are not yet Ready

Tesla, Elon Musk sued by drivers for misleading autopilot, full self-driving claims

Tesla owner has sued the electric car maker, saying the company and its CEO Elon Musk are deceptively and misleadingly marketing the Autopilot and full self-driving software. The filing claims Tesla and Musk deceived and misled consumers regarding the current abilities of its advanced driver-assistance system technology. Tesla did this to generate excitement about its vehicles, attract investments, boost sales, avoid bankruptcy, drive up its stock price and become a dominant player in the electric vehicle sector. Tesla has yet to produce anything even that remotely approaches a fully self-driving car. The lawsuit also makes the case that not only are Full Self-Driving and Autopilot misrepresented, but they're also dangerous.

Elon Musk's Tesla sued over Autopilot:

The Lawsuit claims that, had the plaintiff and proposed class members known about the alleged problem, they would not have purchased on the same terms or would have paid less for them. Tesla drivers who receive software updates effectively act as untrained test engineers and have found myriad problems, including that vehicles steer into oncoming traffic, run red lights, and fail to make routine turns.

Tesla did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It disbanded its media relations department in 2020. The lawsuit followed complaints filed by California's Department of Motor Vehicles accusing Tesla of overstating how well its advanced driver assistance systems worked.  The suit also asks for injunctive relief against Tesla that would force it to be truthful about its alleged Automated Emergency Braking shortcomings.

The lawsuit calls out Tesla's features terminology, including the name Autopilot, as well as Elon Musk's public statements and tweets regarding the perpetually unfinished Full Self-Driving system. Tesla has said Autopilot enables vehicles to steer, accelerate and brake within their lanes, while full self-driving mode lets vehicles obey traffic signals and change lanes.