Tesla is currently facing a class action lawsuit accusing it of misleading the public with false advertisements for its autopilot and full self-driving capabilities.
The lawsuit
On Wednesday, the complaint was filed with the United States District Court in the Northern District of California.
It claims that the electric car maker’s ADAS systems cause its vehicles to turn red, miss exits and enter traffic.
As a result, the outages cost Tesla owners thousands of dollars.
Tesla vehicles are typically outfitted with ADAS or autopilot. Owners could upgrade the system for more functionality.
The company also sells an improved autopilot and full-featured autonomous driving software, or SFD.
The price of SFD continues to rise, and its current price is $15,000.
The plaintiff
Briggs Matsko, the plaintiff, paid a $5,000 premium for the upgraded Autopilot in his 2018 Tesla Model X.
Matsko says the company has announced that its technology is fully working or “just around the corner,” although it’s unclear if it works or doesn’t exist, which makes vehicles unsafe.
Matsko’s lawsuit reads:
“Although these promises have proven false time and time again, Tesla and Musk have continued making them to generate media attention, to deceive consumers into believing it has unrivaled cutting-edge technology, and to establish itself as a leading player in the fast-growing electric vehicle market.”
Other allegations
Briggs Matski’s lawsuit is another addition to other complaints and allegations, including attention and requests from state and federal agencies.
In July, the California Department of Motor Vehicles accused Tesla of misleading advertising.
Meanwhile, last month, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) asked the electric vehicle manufacturer for more information about the cabin camera as part of an ongoing investigation of 830,000 Tesla self-driving cars.
The NHTSA is currently investigating 16 incidents in which Tesla owners may have turned on the ADAS and crashed into stationary emergency vehicles.
In late August, a Tesla Model 3 owner filed a lawsuit against the automaker, claiming that a defect in the autopilot caused it to brake inadvertently.
In Palm Beach County, Florida, a court recently set a date in February for a jury to hear testimony about a 2019 autopilot crash that killed a father of three.
Similar to Matsko’s class action suit, Tesla’s lawsuits aren’t about the capabilities of the technology, but rather the promises Tesla and Musk made to fanatics loyal to them.
Additionally, system branding could lull drivers into a false sense of security and lead to inattention.
Tesla’s Autopilot
The electric car maker has announced that its Autopilot comes with features like traffic-aware cruise control and lane assist.
Enhanced Autopilot includes Navigate, which guides the vehicle from freeway entrance to exit, automatic lane change, and Smart Summon.
Smart Summon is a feature that navigates complex environments and parking spots to get the car to the driver.
A beta version of the FSD is active in over 100,000 vehicles and is available on city streets.
Tesla’s website warns drivers to stay alert and stay in control of vehicles, but Matsko, California’s DMV, and others say it goes against the trust Tesla and Musk have in cars. autopilot and FSD capabilities.
Matsko hopes the situation will deter Tesla from its “misleading and misleading marketing of ADAS technology.”
References:
Tesla sued over alleged false autopilot, full self driving claims
Drivers sue Tesla for alleged false advertising of Autopilot and FSD software
