Pursued by a group action across the Atlantic, Tesla used a defense for the less surprising with the objective that the lawsuits are dismissed by justice.
According to the electric vehicle manufacturer, “ simply failing to achieve an ambitious long-term goal does not constitute fraud “.
Tesla promises the autonomy of its vehicles since 2016
Elon Musk’s company is indeed accused by several Tesla owners of having misled the public regarding its Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability technologies. As early as 2016, the firm, as well as its CEO, ensured that all Tesla vehicles were equipped with the necessary hardware to become autonomous thanks to future software updates.
That same year, the company released a video purporting to show a Tesla driving itself; some of its employees later revealed that it was done in multiple takes, and that flaws in the driving system were removed from the media, including a collision with a fence. In 2020, the billionaire even assured that thanks to the Full Self-Driving system, “ 1 million robot taxis would be on the road by the end of the year, referring to cars benefiting from the device, which is now sold at $15,000.
At present, Tesla’s various assisted driving systems are still not autonomous, and the company often reminds that the driver must have their hands on the wheel at all times. The company’s argument to justify these false promises is daring, since on numerous occasions it has claimed that its vehicles will soon be autonomous, a goal now considered ” long-term ,” according to his response to the class action.
Many criticisms target the manufacturer
The manufacturer’s approach is calculated: the plaintiffs will have to prove that Tesla intentionally misled customers into believing that they were buying vehicles that would become autonomous, and that the firm knew it could not keep its promise.
Tesla is the target of strong criticism for its driving systems, in particular because their name is misleading, insinuating that the vehicle is indeed autonomous. US federal authorities are also interested in Tesla for this reason, the Autopilot system having been involved in several road accidents.
Source : Electrek
30