Latest news with #EnhancedAutopilot
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
New York man took Elon Musk at his word that Teslas could drive themselves. Then he hit a tree
A suburban New York man says he decided to purchase a Tesla after taking its billionaire chief executive at his word that the company's vehicles are able to drive themselves, but once the car's much-touted autopilot feature was activated, it promptly got confused and collided with a tree. Ashutosh Shankar is now suing the electric carmaker in an effort to hold the company 'and its representatives, including CEO Elon Musk, accountable for years of making misleading and deceptive statements' regarding Tesla's supposed autonomous driving abilities, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Westchester County Supreme Court. In 2022, Shankar was induced by Musk's bold claims to buy a new Tesla Model Y performance sedan, the complaint states. Things seemed fine until the following year, when the car – for which the global finance and compliance executive paid thousands extra for the advertised self-driving package – 'failed to follow the road at a fork and instead drove directly into a tree down the driveway' of a home in Bedford, New York. The wreck caused Shankar 'serious and severe' injuries to his neck and back, attorney Robert Greenstein told The Independent. 'Tesla misrepresented its full self-driving technology,' Greenstein said. 'My client was led to believe their self-driving technology was more advanced than it was. They promised full self-driving capability, but they didn't deliver that.' Tesla officials did not respond to a request for comment. Shankar bought his Model Y in 2022, spending $5,000 above the vehicle's base price to get the so-called Enhanced Autopilot version of Tesla's advanced driver assistance system package, or, ADAS, according to his complaint. The filing notes he pulled the trigger based on Tesla and Musk's public statements about the technology's advantages. However, the complaint goes on, Tesla has 'deceptively and misleadingly marketed its ADAS technology as autonomous driving technology under various names, including 'Autopilot,' 'Enhanced Autopilot,' and 'Full Self-Driving Capability,' the latter two of which Tesla charges consumers thousands of additional dollars to add to their new vehicle.' On September 30, 2023, Shankar was a passenger in his own car while someone else drove, the complaint states. But, it contends, after the vehicle was set to full self-driving mode, it crashed. The incident was caused 'wholly and solely by reason of [Tesla's] negligence,' the complaint contends. 'Drivers have consistently found that Tesla's Full Self-Driving software has a lot of problems, such as cars failing to make routine turns, running red lights, and steering directly into large objects and oncoming traffic,' it continues, 'There have also been numerous collisions involving Tesla's purportedly cutting-edge ADAS software, including Tesla vehicles plowing at high speeds into large stationary objects such as emergency vehicles and an overturned box truck.' The complaint adds that '[d]ozens of people have suffered fatal and other serious injuries as a result of these ADAS-related collisions,' which have resulted in 'a host of investigations by state and federal regulators.' 'Tesla knew for years that its statements regarding its ADAS technology were deceptive and misleading, but the company made them anyway,' the complaint states, claiming the carnaker did so 'to generate excitement about the company's vehicles and thereby improve its financial condition by, among other things, attracting investment, increasing sales, avoiding bankruptcy, increasing Tesla's stock price, and helping to establish Tesla as a dominant player in the electric vehicle market.' Further, the complaint alleges, Tesla itself 'has admitted' that the term 'full self-driving" is inaccurate. In fact, it says, full self-driving Teslas are not fully self-driving, as they still require a driver to steer, brake and accelerate 'as needed.' 'In the meantime, Tesla and Elon Musk continued their deceptive marketing to consumers,' the complaint states. This, according to the complaint, occurred on Tesla's blog and website, earnings calls, podcasts, and on Musk's X account. It says Musk and Co. 'knew… or should have known' that their statements about full self-driving were 'untrue, misleading, and likely to deceive the public.' 'On information and belief, Defendant is nowhere near being able to deliver fully self-driving vehicles,' the complaint argues. Last year, the family of a California man who died at the wheel of a Tesla in 'full self-driving' mode also sued over Tesla and Musk's claims about the technology. The family's attorney, Brett Schreiber, told The Independent, 'This is yet another example of Tesla using our public roadways to perform research and development of its autonomous driving technology.' In short, Schreiber said, Tesla's self-driving feature is 'not really ready for primetime.' Giovanni Mendoza, the driver who perished in that incident, 'saw, heard, and/or read many of Tesla or Musk's deceptive claims on Twitter, Tesla's official blog, or in the news media,' his family's December 2024 complaint said. 'Giovanni believed those claims were true, and thus believed the 'Autopilot' feature with the 'full self driving' upgrade was safer than a human driver, and could be trusted to safely navigate public highways autonomously.' Tesla's self-driving claims have also led to class-action suits in the U.S., Australia and Europe. In 2020, a German court ordered Tesla to cease all advertising related to self-driving. Shankar's lawsuit accuses Tesla of fraud and deceit, negligent misrepresentation, negligence and unjust enrichment. He is seeking an unspecified money judgment, including punitive damages, as well as attorneys' fees. Tesla now has roughly three weeks to formally respond to Shankar's claims.
The Independent
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
New York man took Elon Musk at his word that Teslas could drive themselves. Then he hit a tree
A suburban New York man says he decided to purchase a Tesla after taking its billionaire chief executive at his word that the company's vehicles are able to drive themselves, but once the car's much-touted autopilot feature was activated, it promptly got confused and collided with a tree. Ashutosh Shankar is now suing the electric carmaker in an effort to hold the company 'and its representatives, including CEO Elon Musk, accountable for years of making misleading and deceptive statements' regarding Tesla's supposed autonomous driving abilities, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Westchester County Supreme Court. In 2022, Shankar was induced by Musk's bold claims to buy a new Tesla Model Y performance sedan, the complaint states. Things seemed fine until the following year, when the car – for which the global finance and compliance executive paid thousands extra for the advertised self-driving package – 'failed to follow the road at a fork and instead drove directly into a tree down the driveway' of a home in Bedford, New York. The wreck caused Shankar 'serious and severe' injuries to his neck and back, attorney Robert Greenstein told The Independent. 'Tesla misrepresented its full self-driving technology,' Greenstein said. 'My client was led to believe their self-driving technology was more advanced than it was. They promised full self-driving capability, but they didn't deliver that.' Tesla officials did not respond to a request for comment. Shankar bought his Model Y in 2022, spending $5,000 above the vehicle's base price to get the so-called Enhanced Autopilot version of Tesla's advanced driver assistance system package, or, ADAS, according to his complaint. The filing notes he pulled the trigger based on Tesla and Musk's public statements about the technology's advantages. However, the complaint goes on, Tesla has 'deceptively and misleadingly marketed its ADAS technology as autonomous driving technology under various names, including 'Autopilot,' 'Enhanced Autopilot,' and 'Full Self-Driving Capability,' the latter two of which Tesla charges consumers thousands of additional dollars to add to their new vehicle.' On September 30, 2023, Shankar was a passenger in his own car while someone else drove, the complaint states. But, it contends, after the vehicle was set to full self-driving mode, it crashed. The incident was caused 'wholly and solely by reason of [Tesla's] negligence,' the complaint contends. 'Drivers have consistently found that Tesla's Full Self-Driving software has a lot of problems, such as cars failing to make routine turns, running red lights, and steering directly into large objects and oncoming traffic,' it continues, 'There have also been numerous collisions involving Tesla's purportedly cutting-edge ADAS software, including Tesla vehicles plowing at high speeds into large stationary objects such as emergency vehicles and an overturned box truck.' The complaint adds that '[d]ozens of people have suffered fatal and other serious injuries as a result of these ADAS-related collisions,' which have resulted in 'a host of investigations by state and federal regulators.' 'Tesla knew for years that its statements regarding its ADAS technology were deceptive and misleading, but the company made them anyway,' the complaint states, claiming the carnaker did so 'to generate excitement about the company's vehicles and thereby improve its financial condition by, among other things, attracting investment, increasing sales, avoiding bankruptcy, increasing Tesla's stock price, and helping to establish Tesla as a dominant player in the electric vehicle market.' Further, the complaint alleges, Tesla itself 'has admitted' that the term 'full self-driving" is inaccurate. In fact, it says, full self-driving Teslas are not fully self-driving, as they still require a driver to steer, brake and accelerate 'as needed.' 'In the meantime, Tesla and Elon Musk continued their deceptive marketing to consumers,' the complaint states. This, according to the complaint, occurred on Tesla's blog and website, earnings calls, podcasts, and on Musk's X account. It says Musk and Co. 'knew… or should have known' that their statements about full self-driving were 'untrue, misleading, and likely to deceive the public.' 'On information and belief, Defendant is nowhere near being able to deliver fully self-driving vehicles,' the complaint argues. Last year, the family of a California man who died at the wheel of a Tesla in 'full self-driving' mode also sued over Tesla and Musk's claims about the technology. The family's attorney, Brett Schreiber, told The Independent, 'This is yet another example of Tesla using our public roadways to perform research and development of its autonomous driving technology.' In short, Schreiber said, Tesla's self-driving feature is 'not really ready for primetime.' Giovanni Mendoza, the driver who perished in that incident, 'saw, heard, and/or read many of Tesla or Musk's deceptive claims on Twitter, Tesla's official blog, or in the news media,' his family's December 2024 complaint said. 'Giovanni believed those claims were true, and thus believed the 'Autopilot' feature with the 'full self driving' upgrade was safer than a human driver, and could be trusted to safely navigate public highways autonomously.' Tesla's self-driving claims have also led to class-action suits in the U.S., Australia and Europe. In 2020, a German court ordered Tesla to cease all advertising related to self-driving. Shankar's lawsuit accuses Tesla of fraud and deceit, negligent misrepresentation, negligence and unjust enrichment. He is seeking an unspecified money judgment, including punitive damages, as well as attorneys' fees. Tesla now has roughly three weeks to formally respond to Shankar's claims.
Newsweek
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Judge Orders Elon Musk's Emails Are Fair Game in Tesla Lawsuit
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Elon Musk has been ordered to release private emails as part of an ongoing lawsuit against Tesla. A California judge compelled the tech CEO to release the emails to help the court determine whether his company had intentionally misled the public by falsely advertising the Autopilot and Full Self-Driving features on Tesla vehicles. Newsweek reached out to Tesla for comment via email. Why It Matters. Tesla is facing a lawsuit in California that accuses the electric vehicle manufacturer of misleading advertising around its self-driving technologies. The lawsuit, filed by plaintiff Briggs A. Matsko in 2022, argues that the company exaggerated the capabilities of its driver assistance systems, which endangered consumers and distorted the public's perception of autonomous driving. The legal action was brought in federal court in San Francisco, seeking damages for individuals who purchased or leased Tesla vehicles equipped with Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot, or Full Self-Driving features since 2016. What To Know The complaint centers on claims that Tesla and CEO Musk repeatedly misrepresented these systems as fully autonomous or nearly so, even though the technology remains incomplete. On April 18, the court ruled that Tesla's proposal of five "custodians," whose records were used in an attempt to prove that the company was not deliberately misleading customers, would not be sufficient. Instead, the court said that Musk would be compelled to act as a custodian for the case, meaning he would have to provide emails and communications to the court. Tesla CEO Elon Musk at the White House on March 24, 2025. Tesla CEO Elon Musk at the White House on March 24, 2025. Getty Images According to court filings, Matsko alleges that Tesla promoted the advanced systems to boost vehicle sales and investments while knowing the features were not capable of fully autonomous operation and could pose safety risks. Matsko, a resident of Rancho Murieta, California, said he paid a $5,000 premium for Enhanced Autopilot in his 2018 Tesla Model X. He alleges that despite advertising, Tesla "has yet to produce anything even remotely approaching a fully self-driving car." Matsko also described Tesla's regular software updates as experimental, with drivers essentially acting as "untrained test engineers." He cited issues such as vehicles steering into oncoming traffic, running red lights, and failing to execute basic turns. The complaint also alleges that Tesla's marketing campaigns, including statements by Musk, falsely implied that breakthroughs were imminent. What People Are Saying In the ruling, the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California said: "Tesla argues that the information Musk relied on when he made the October 19, 2016 statement 'is not relevant to whether the challenged statements were misleading or false,' and maintains that 'a contrary determination would allow plaintiffs to obtain intrusive discovery from apex custodians simply by including statements from those custodians in their pleadings.' "These arguments are unpersuasive. LoSavio's surviving claims are based in fraud and negligence, and LoSavio has alleged not only Musk's direct involvement in representations about Tesla's ADAS technology, but also that Musk himself made a statement that is one of the main alleged misrepresentations at issue. "The documents that Musk relied on in making his statement are plainly relevant to LoSavio's claims because they are relevant, among other things, to Musk's knowledge of his statement's falsity. The court accordingly grants LoSavio's motion to compel Musk and Elluswamy as custodians." What Happens Next Tesla has not yet made a statement on the ruling. Musk will be compelled by the court to share his communications with the case.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Tesla's Game-Changing Free Trial in China: Will It Revive Sales?
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is testing the waters in China with a free one-month trial of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) feature from March 17 to April 16. The trial is available to a select group of Tesla owners who have vehicles equipped with the latest driving-assistance hardware and software. This FSD technology, powered by generative AI, is designed to tackle more complex driving conditions, but Tesla's warning is clear: the system remains a Level 2 driver assistance feature, and driver intervention is still a must. The rollout will happen gradually, and Tesla has cautioned that full coverage might not be possible everywhere. Drivers will see their vehicles automatically navigate city streets, change lanes, and even recognize traffic signals, but Tesla still stresses that drivers should stay alert and ready to take control. This is not a hands-off driving experience yet. Tesla also reminded customers that any traffic violations or accidents remain their responsibility while using the system. At the end of the trial, the FSD feature will be available for 64,000 yuan (about $8,900), with a discount for those upgrading from Enhanced Autopilot. In light of declining sales globally and in China, this FSD trial looks like a calculated move to reignite interest in Tesla's vehicles. While the company's future in the region is uncertain, this trial could provide a boost. The strategy may help drive up sales, but we'll have to see how effective it proves in a competitive Chinese market. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. Sign in to access your portfolio
