A new law in California is going to force Tesla to change the way that it advertises its Full Self-Driving feature. Starting in 2023, the bill prohibits manufacturers from “deceptively naming or marketing” such features, which means Tesla might have to rename the feature in California too.
Tesla has garnered the wrong kind of attention surrounding its semi-autonomous Full Self-Driving technology for quite some time. Before that, regulators and critics took issue with the brand’s Autopilot feature, though this new law is the first time that a government tamp down on the automaker’s feature nomenclature.
The bill, SB No. 1398 specifically does two main things regarding autonomous driving technology and the automakers that offer it. Firstly, it requires any such automaker to provide the buyer or owner with a consumer notice that describes the functions and limitations of those features. That’s in line with multiple studies that find consumers are regularly uncertain of the autonomous driving features in their own vehicles.
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The second part of the bill specifically prohibits “a manufacturer or dealer from deceptively naming or marketing these features, as specified.” Senator Lena Gonzalez said in a statement:
“(This bill) increases consumer safety by requiring dealers and manufacturers that sell new passenger vehicles equipped with a semiautonomous driving assistance feature… to give a clear description of the functions and limitations of those features.”
There is no word yet on whether or not Tesla will change the name of the feature or try to find another workaround.
Source: CarScoops
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