California Bans Tesla From Marketing Its EVs As “Full Self-Driving” [Video]

California has passed a new law going into effect in 2023 that bans Tesla and other automakers from advertising their vehicles as “fully self driving.”

The Senate Bill (SB) No. 1398, sponsored by Democratic state senator Lena Gonzales, effectively prohibits Tesla from using the Full Self-Driving (FSD) name for its Advanced Driver Assist System (ADAS) package.

“A manufacturer or dealer shall not name any partial driving automation feature, or describe any partial driving automation feature in marketing materials, using language that implies or would otherwise lead a reasonable person to believe, that the feature allows the vehicle to function as an autonomous vehicle, as defined in Section 38750, or otherwise has functionality not actually included in the feature.”

California Senate Bill 1398

The new law states that auto manufacturers and dealers are prohibited from “deceptively naming, referring to, or marketing” a car as self-driving if it’s only equipped with partial automation features that still require human drivers to pay attention and take over driving at times.

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