A California administrative law judge ruled that Tesla’s marketing of its “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving” systems is deceptive, citing that the names suggest cars can operate autonomously when attentive drivers are still required.
The California DMV adopted the judge’s order but modified the penalty, giving Tesla 60 days to correct its marketing claims before potentially facing a 30-day suspension of its sales license, while its manufacturing license remains unaffected.
The ruling highlights that the term “Full Self-Driving” misleads consumers, violating civil and vehicle codes.
Tesla disputed the decision, noting no consumer complaints prompted the order and stating that California sales will continue uninterrupted, CNBC has reported.
The company is also facing a separate class-action lawsuit in Northern California over alleged misleading claims about its self-driving technology.
