Tesla Ditches 'Autopilot' Branding in California to Dodge DMV Ban
Tesla dropped its 'autopilot' marketing term in California after the state's DMV threatened a 30-day suspension.
Tesla just blinked. The EV giant has agreed to stop slapping the word "autopilot" on its marketing materials in California — a significant concession from a company that's stubbornly defended the branding for years.
The move came after California's Department of Motor Vehicles threatened Tesla with a 30-day suspension. Rather than fight it, Tesla chose to quietly drop the term when selling its electric vehicles in the state.
It's a notable win for regulators who have long argued the "autopilot" label misleads consumers into thinking Tesla's driver-assistance system is more capable than it actually is. California is Tesla's home turf and its biggest U.S. market, making this retreat especially meaningful.
The deal sidesteps the suspension entirely, but raises an obvious question: if the branding isn't accurate enough for California, why keep it anywhere else?