Tesla is now facing a class action lawsuit, alleging it misled the public with false advertising about Autopilot and fully self-driving capabilities.

Lawsuit

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

He claims the electric car maker’s ADAS system is causing cars to run red lights, miss exits, and drive into traffic.

As a result, the malfunctions are costing Tesla owners thousands of dollars.

Tesla vehicles are typically equipped with ADAS or Autopilot.

Owners can upgrade their system to take advantage of more features.

The company also sells advanced autopilot and fully autonomous driving software (SFD).

The price of SFD continues to climb and is currently at $15,000.

Briggs Matsuko

The plaintiff, Briggs Matsko, paid him a $5,000 premium for his Autopilot update on his 2018 Tesla Model X.

Matsko said the company says its technology is either fully operational or “close enough,” but it’s unclear if it will work, putting vehicles at risk.

Matsuko’s lawsuit reads as follows:

“Although these promises have proven false time and time again, Tesla and Musk have continued making them to generate media attention, to deceive consumers into believing it has unrivaled cutting-edge technology, and to establish itself as a leading player in the fast-growing electric vehicle market.”

Other allegations

The Briggs-Mutsky lawsuit is in addition to other complaints and allegations, including notices and demands from state and federal authorities.

In July, the California Department of Motor Vehicles accused Tesla of misleading advertising.

Meanwhile, last month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) asked electric car makers for more information about cabin cameras as part of an ongoing study of 830,000 Tesla self-driving cars.

NHTSA is currently investigating 16 incidents in which a Tesla owner may have activated his ADAS and crashed into a stopped emergency vehicle.

In late August, Tesla Model 3 owners filed a lawsuit against the automaker, claiming that an autopilot malfunction caused the accidental braking.

A court in Palm Beach County, Florida, recently set a February date to hear jury testimony in the 2019 autopilot crash that killed the father of three children.

Like Matsko’s class action lawsuit, Tesla’s lawsuit isn’t about technological capabilities, it’s about the promises Tesla and Musk made to their loyal fans.

Additionally, system branding can give drivers a false sense of security and lead to inattention.

Tesla’s Autopilot

The electric car maker has announced that its Autopilot will include features such as traffic-aware cruise control and lane assist.

Advanced Autopilot features include Navigate, guiding the vehicle from highway entrance to exit, auto lane change, and Smart Summon.

Smart Summon has the ability to navigate complex environments and parking spaces to deliver the car to the driver.

FSD Beta is active on over 100,000 vehicles and is available on city streets.

Tesla’s website warns drivers to stay vigilant and stay in control of their vehicles, but Matsuko, California’s DMV, and others say it runs against the reassurance Tesla and Musk have in their cars with their Autopilot and FSD functions.

Matsuko hopes the situation will discourage Tesla’s “deceptive and misleading marketing of ADAS technology.”

References:

Tesla sued over alleged false autopilot, full self driving claims

Drivers sue Tesla for alleged false advertising of Autopilot and FSD software