The California attorney general’s office is investigating Tesla over the safety of its Autopilot driver assistance program and complaints of false advertising.
The investigation comes after a number of high-profile crashes involving Tesla vehicles that were operating in Autopilot mode. In one crash, a Tesla Model 3 driver was killed when his car crashed into a parked fire truck.
The attorney general’s office is also looking into whether Tesla has falsely advertised Autopilot as a “self-driving” system. Tesla’s website states that Autopilot “can help you drive your car safely for extended periods of time on city streets and highways.” However, the attorney general’s office is concerned that Tesla’s marketing may lead drivers to believe that Autopilot is capable of driving the car without human intervention.
This is not the first time that Tesla has been investigated for safety issues related to Autopilot. In 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into 11 crashes involving Tesla vehicles that were operating in Autopilot mode. The NHTSA is also investigating Tesla over the company’s use of cabin cameras to monitor drivers while using Autopilot.
The California attorney general’s investigation is still ongoing. It is unclear what the outcome of the investigation will be, but it is a sign that regulators are taking a closer look at Tesla’s Autopilot program.
