The probe comes in the middle of several high-profile crashes — including a fatal wreck in California that involved Tesla’s Autopilot in the past week.
California’s Department of Motor Vehicles is reviewing whether Tesla is violating a state regulation by advertising its vehicles as fully autonomous without meeting the legal definition of self-driving.
The DMV, which regulates testing of self-driving vehicles, has revealed that violating the regulation can lead to the suspension of autonomous vehicle permits and even the revocation of the manufacturer’s license.
California’s state regulation prohibits advertising vehicles for sale or lease as autonomous if they can’t comply with the regulatory definition, it added.
Tesla advertises a $10,000 “Full Self-Driving” option on the website for its electric vehicles. However, the same website also says that vehicles cannot drive autonomously. However, the company says its “Full Self-Driving” software can navigate, automatically change lanes and follow traffic lights and stop signs.
Tesla cars are not new to controversy, and earlier this year, they were banned from China’s military complexes for security reasons.
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Source: NBCNews