Tesla Banned From Using ‘Full Self-Driving’ Name in California

On the heels of multiple crashes and a federal investigation, a state law bars the company from calling their software Full Self-Driving to avoid misleading consumers about the need for driver assistance.

1 minute read

December 29, 2022, 12:00 PM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


The interior of a Tesla, with a large video screen. The person behind the wheel is touching the screen.

Aleksandra Suzi / Shutterstock

California law now bans Tesla from describing their software as Full Self-Driving (FSD), citing concerns that the term could mislead consumers, reports Marco Marcelline for PC Mag.

The law, sponsored by Democratic State Sen. Lena Gonzalez, bans California car dealers and manufacturers from 'deceptively naming or marketing' a car as self-driving if equipped with partial autonomous features that still require humans to pay attention and handle the driving.

While Tesla’s website states that its features “require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous,” critics have long accused the company and its founder, Elon Musk, of misleading buyers and putting people in danger through their marketing language. According to Marcelline, “Last week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) initiated two more special crash investigations into Tesla accidents where FSD is alleged to have been a factor in the crash.” The NHTSA is also investigating General Motors subsidiary Cruise.

Monday, December 26, 2022 in PC Magazine

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