“One year later, there has been more unnecessary, preventable tragedy and more intentional deception by Tesla, including claims of ‘full self-driving capability.’ If the FTC, and the states do not stop these unlawful representations, the consequences will squarely fall on their shoulders,” added Levine.
On the other hand, Adam Scow, Senior Advocate for Consumer Watchdog, commented, “It is time for regulators to step in and put a stop to Tesla’s ongoing autopilot deception. Tesla has irresponsibly marketed its technology as safety enhancing, when instead it is killing people.”
Tesla first introduced its Autopilot system in October 2015. The auto industry refers to it as Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), which allows drivers to briefly remove their hands off the steering wheel. However, drivers must always be prepared to take control of their vehicles when an emergency occurs.
During a recent conference call, the company’s CEO Elon Musk said the company will release a fully autonomous version of its Autopilot system this year. The technology will be integrated into its fleets of robotaxis, which will be rolled out in 2020.
