Tesla, the premier electric vehicle (EV) company, is currently under fire in California. The state’s Department of Motor Vehicles is investigating the company for potential safety issues with Tesla’s Autopilot self-driving feature, as well as false advertising claims.
Autopilot is a semi-autonomous feature in certain Tesla models that allows the car to handle most driving tasks such as lane-keeping and speed control. However, there have been several reports of Autopilot-related crashes involving Teslas, including one that resulted in a fatality in Florida in 2016. As a result, the California DMV is now looking into whether or not Tesla has misleadingly advertised Autopilot as a fully autonomous system and if it can be safely used while driving without supervision.
Critics argue that Tesla has been deceptive in its Autopilot advertising, implying that the system is fully capable of driving a car on its own with few limitations. This could lead to drivers relying more heavily on Autopilot and less on their own driving abilities, which could have disastrous consequences in certain situations. When asked about the investigation, Tesla stated that it always puts safety first and that its Autopilot system was never intended to be autonomous.
The investigation is a welcome development for the many EV safety advocates who have long argued that Tesla has been far too reckless in its approach to Autopilot. The investigation could also have far-reaching implications for the entire EV industry, as other companies are likely to take heed and allow for more public scrutiny of their self-driving systems. No matter the outcome of the investigation, it is clear that automakers need to be more responsible in how they advertise and deploy their Autopilot systems.