Tesla's French subsidiary is in the authorities' sights for its misleading communication on autonomous driving. In early April, the Yvelines Population Protection Directorate (DDPP), acting for the suppression of fraud, formally asked the company to stop misleading consumers, we learned from the website L’Informé. Elon Musk's company received an injunction from the public authorities to cease its "deceptive commercial practice" on this aspect.
The investigation, launched in 2023, targets the way Tesla presents its systems, in particular the "Fully Self-Driving Capability" option. Despite its name and cost (€7,500), this feature requires constant human supervision and does not grant the vehicle true autonomy, a fact that Tesla mentions in the detailed descriptions but which contrasts with the overall marketing and promises of future expanded capabilities. On the page dedicated to this feature, we can indeed read that fully autonomous driving, like Autopilot and Enhanced Autopilot, are "designed to be used by an alert driver whose hands are on the wheel and who is ready to take back control of the vehicle at any time." Tesla even specifies that "they do not make the vehicle autonomous in its current state.".
It will be necessary to wait for "future updates" to allow a vehicle to go "almost anywhere with complete autonomy." And the manufacturer remains cautious, mentioning "minimal driver intervention" and "depending on development and regulatory approval." This promise is not new from Elon Musk, who has been saying for years that he is close to achieving full autonomy. However, Teslas are generally considered Level 2 (out of 5) cars.
Faced with this injunction, Tesla attempted an interim relief appeal, which was rejected on procedural grounds. If the authorities' decision is upheld on appeal or on the merits, the manufacturer will have to revise its communication within four months. Otherwise, a penalty payment of 50,000 euros per day could be applied.
Tesla's black streak continues
This French affair is part of a series of similar controversies for Tesla, particularly in the United States where the name of the function had to be amended to include the word "Supervised." Rather than "Full Self-Driving" for "fully autonomous driving," Tesla now uses "Full Self-Driving (Supervised)" to present its solution, or "fully autonomous driving (supervised)."
These regulatory difficulties add to a complicated commercial period for the brand, particularly in Europe. According to figures published Thursday, May 1st by Plateforme automobile (PFA), Tesla registrations in France fell by nearly 60% in April compared to the same month last year. With only 7,556 vehicles sold, the American manufacturer's registrations have fallen by 44% since the beginning of the year in France. This worrying situation can be explained by the poor health of the sector, a range undergoing major renewal, and the shady image of its founder, Elon Musk.
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