Tesla Cannot Claim That Its Vehicles Are Self-Driving In One US State

One of the reasons Tesla is a contentious corporation is that some cars come equipped with Autopilot technology. A US state is now modifying how Tesla informs customers about the technology that allows its cars to largely drive themselves, with mixed results. Senate Bill 1398, which establishes new guidelines for the state's advertising of autonomous driving technologies, was approved by California Governor Gavin Newsom. A complete description of the "functions and limitations of those features" must be provided by every "dealer or manufacturer that sells any new passenger vehicle that is equipped with a partial driving automation technology," according to the law. The majority of the legislation targets Tesla, which frequently markets Autopilot as a comprehensive self-driving system. The company's website boasts, "all you will need to do is get in and tell your car where to go. The name alone could suggest it doesn't need any assistance from a human driver. Your Tesla will determine the best route by navigating city streets, tricky intersections, and freeways. In contrast, Tesla describes "Full Self-Driving Capability" as a distinct and presently unavailable feature in other locations. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="976"] Picture Credit: BBC[/caption] Although Tesla's Autopilot is arguably the most developed autonomous driving technology currently on the market, it can still be unpredictable at times. In China in June 2020, a Tesla Model 3 equipped with Autopilot crashed into a stopped truck, injuring the driver. In the state of Washington, a stopped police patrol car was struck by a Tesla Model S in May 2021. The first known incident with the "Full Self-Driving" (FSD) beta software, Autopilot forcing itself into the wrong lane and causing a car wreck, was reported by the driver of a Tesla Model Y recently. The bill that was enacted comes after other recent electric vehicle-related laws in California. A rule that was passed earlier this year mandates that by 2035, all new passenger vehicle sales—with the exception of those of used cars—must be electric or hybrid. In order to prevent EV batteries from losing their manufacturing capacity too soon, which has a negative effect on the resale value of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, the state also recently adopted new criteria for EV batteries. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] Picture Credit: Electrek[/caption] In an effort to make it more obvious to prospective automobile buyers that we have a long way to go before cars can drive themselves, the state of California is currently working to highlight how far off that future is. In 2023, the new law will come into force.