Tesla asked by California to stop advertising ‘autopilot’ function

The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has reportedly issued draft regulation to restrict the way Tesla advertises its cars autopilot function.

According to a report from the San Fransisco Chronicle, the draft regulation demands Tesla cease and desist from using the terms ‘self-driving’, ‘automated’ and ‘autopilot’ when advertising its vehicles, unless they are capable of driving themselves without any human back up.

A scale currently used by the US government rates self-driving technology from one to five. Tesla’s autopilot currently is currently rated as level two, due to its need for human supervision, and the draft regulation says only cars rated level three or higher can be advertised as self-driving.

Consumer Watchdog’s John Simpson said: “It’s really a driver-assist technology, and it was being advertised as Autopilot — that was outrageous. The advertising regs are exactly what’s required.”

Tesla spokeswoman told the Chronicle: “Tesla is reviewing the draft regulations and will provide input to the DMV as appropriate. Autopilot makes driving safer and less stressful, and we have always been clear that it does not make a car autonomous any more than its namesake makes an aircraft autonomous.”

Read more