DMV Says Tesla's Full Self-Driving Name is False Advertising; Tesla Responds

December 12, 2023

By Kevin Armstrong

Tesla has been improving its FSD features since introducing it in 2016

Tesla

Elon Musk bought, gutted, and revived Twitter, now X, for many reasons, but one of the biggest was allowing free speech. Now, Tesla has positioned its defense against the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) on the grounds of free speech.

Tesla asserts that the DMV's accusations of false advertising, especially regarding its Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature, infringe upon its First Amendment rights. This defense follows years after the introduction of Tesla's automated driving features.

Background of the Dispute

The legal skirmish traces back to the DMV's investigation, initiated in May 2021. The agency accuses Tesla of misleading claims about its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving capabilities, suggesting that these systems could enable entirely autonomous trips without driver intervention. Tesla, however, contends that it has been transparent about the limitations of these systems in its owner's manuals and in-car notifications.

Tesla argues the DMV's lack of action against using terms like "Autopilot" and "Full Self-Driving Capability" since 2014 and 2016 amounts to an implicit approval. The company claims that this inaction over the years should now preclude the DMV from pursuing legal action.

Potential Consequences for Tesla

The stakes are high for Tesla in this legal dispute. Should the DMV prevail, Tesla could face the revocation of its California manufacturer's license and possibly be required to compensate customers who have suffered financial losses due to the alleged false advertising.

This legal tussle has significant implications for Tesla, particularly in California, its largest market in the United States. The outcome of this case could influence not only Tesla's business operations but also customer trust and perception of the brand's technology offerings.

Amidst this legal confrontation, Tesla also faces scrutiny from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) over safety concerns related to its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features. These investigations are part of a broader examination of the safety and reliability of driver assistance technologies in the evolving landscape of autonomous vehicles.

Tesla continues to refine its driver assistance technologies amidst these challenges, with the removal of ultrasonic sensors in 2022 marking a notable change in its approach. FSD version 12 is rolling out to employees, introducing a major shift in autonomous technology. Instead of hundreds of thousands of coding lines, the new system relies on neural networks. As the legal and regulatory landscape evolves, Tesla's journey with its pioneering technologies will remain in the spotlight and under constant scrutiny.

Tesla and Rivian Settle 4-Year-Long Lawsuit Out of Court

November 26, 2024

By Karan Singh

Not a Tesla App

Tesla and Rivian have been in court since 2020. Tesla alleged that ex-employees stole and transferred trade secrets. Tesla also alleged that Rivian was encouraging Tesla employees to depart and bring said trade secrets with them on their way to Rivian.

Tesla is now seeking to have the suit dismissed on December 24th of this year, assuming the settlement terms are reached.

Initial Lawsuit

The initial lawsuit in 2020 involved several employees, including a Health and Safety Manager, a Charging Network Manager, and two Human Resources Recruiters, who all departed Tesla to move to Rivian. Tesla alleged that these employees took trade secrets, confidential materials, and proprietary information when they joined Rivian.

The next year, Tesla added to the suit, alleging that Rivian stole technology related to Tesla’s next-gen batteries. That would’ve been the 4680-cells back then - now the updated Cybercell which is shipping in the Cybertruck.

Out-of-Court Settlement

On November 25th, Tesla informed the California state court that it would be settling the matter with Rivian out of court. This means that Tesla and Rivian have come to an agreement outside of the court case, and Tesla will be dropping its lawsuit. This is good for both companies—extended legal battles are extremely expensive, especially with highly paid, specialized lawyers on both sides of the battle arguing it out for nearly four years.

It's good to see that both companies are moving forward. Rivian stock saw a positive bump in yesterday’s trading from this news—approximately 13%. We’re looking forward to seeing what both companies do in the future. It’d be best to see both as allies in electrifying the planet and supporting adventuring rather than at each other’s throats in court.

Tesla is Setting Up Pop-Up Displays Across Malls in the United States [VIDEO]

November 26, 2024

By Karan Singh

David Zhai on LinkedIn

Each year, around the Holiday season, Tesla puts up pop-up mall displays across the United States, Canada, and certain locations in Europe. It looks like Tesla is continuing this tradition once again this year, as David Zhai, Concept and Prototype Staff Manager at Tesla, has stated on LinkedIn that the Tesla Pop-Up Shops are returning.

Pop-Up Displays

Tesla intends to build small pop-up displays featuring Tesla vehicles, including the Cybertruck, at major malls throughout the United States. These displays are usually temporary and just for the holiday season. However, they’re placed in high-traffic areas, usually near the center of major malls - near food courts and rest areas.

They’re also usually staffed by members of the local Delivery/Service Center, who are around to answer questions and show off the features of the vehicles on display. After all, seeing a Cybertruck from a distance is one thing - sitting inside is entirely another.

Tesla popup at the American dream mall is nice has the cybertruck on display with sales advisors to answer questions, show the truck, demo drives, and there’s a computer to order cars / look at what’s available pic.twitter.com/oTWz61dDhf
— Joey (@JoeyV1117) November 26, 2024

Other Regions

David Zhai didn’t mention whether these would be coming to other regions - just the United States. It seems that while Tesla previously ran these displays globally, it may not be the case this year. We’ll keep an eye out and see if they start popping up in Canada, Europe, or China - let us know if you spot one there!

Drive-By Displays

When Cybertruck launched, Tesla also held drive-by displays throughout North America and Europe. They drove the Cybertruck into places like New York’s Times Square while towing a Model 3 or Model Y on a trailer behind it. These displays were really popular and attracted tons of attention.

We’re hoping to see more of these drive-by displays make a comeback sometime soon. Many owners have yet to see the new Model 3 or the Tesla Semi up close and personal.