Newsom suspends Tesla’s operations in Cali as Musk fights back

Authorities in California are engaging in a heated legal battle with Elon Musk over one of the features of the iconic Tesla electric vehicle.

Officials at the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) are claiming that the company deceived customers regarding the vehicle’s self-driving or “autopilot” feature, which reportedly boasted the ability to “conduct short and long-distance trips with no action required by the person in the driver’s seat.”

The lawsuit was initially filed in 2022, and amended in 2023. It seeks to suspend Tesla’s ability to manufacture and sell cars in the state for at least 30 days, as well as force them to pay a to-be-determined amount of restitution.

“These labels and descriptions represent specifically that respondent (Tesla)’s vehicles will operate as autonomous vehicles, which they could not and cannot do,” wrote state Attorney General Rob Bonta in a brief.

“Deputy Attorney General Christopher Beatty, who represented the state’s DMV in court, said it would be ‘a straightforward case,’” reported The Daily Mail. “He argued that Tesla had for years advertised high-tech features which falsely suggested the cars could drive and park themselves.”

However, Tesla attorneys argue that the company “has always made clear” that the vehicles still require “active driver supervision” while being driven.

“Tesla has said Autopilot lets vehicles steer, accelerate, and brake in their lanes, and Full Self-Driving lets vehicles obey traffic signals and change lanes,” DM wrote in its report. “But it has admitted that neither excuses drivers from paying attention to the road, and the technologies ‘do not make the vehicle autonomous.’”

Investigations Commander Melanie Rosario testified on the first day of legal proceedings, claiming that by using the word “autopilot” in advertising, Tesla implies something it doesn’t provide.

“Autopilot to me means (the car) can drive itself or do things on its own,” she said.

“But she said she had noticed contradictory statements from Tesla, touting self-driving capabilities while simultaneously instructing drivers to keep their hands on or near the steering wheel,” the article reads.

“Let me say this very clearly: Tesla has never misled consumers. Never,” said David Marcus, who is representing Tesla. He slammed the legal moves as the DMV’s attempt to block the company, “on the verge of fulfilling the dream,” from making self-driving vehicles a part of public consumption.