Noah Romsdal Hallundbæk Sørensen
Tesla is reportedly backing away from its controversial “Autopilot”
A long-running dispute between Tesla and California regulators has reached a turning point.
After months of scrutiny, the electric carmaker has altered how it presents its driver assistance technology in the state.
The move follows an administrative ruling that questioned how the systems were marketed.
Tesla going under
Tesla has scrapped the “Autopilot” name in California after the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles warned it could suspend the company’s dealer license.
Regulators argued that Tesla’s branding overstated what its driver assistance systems can actually do.
Both Autopilot and Full Self-Driving require active human supervision and have never been fully autonomous.
According to the California DMV, the company has now complied with the state’s demands, avoiding a 30-day suspension of its dealer and manufacturer licenses.
Marketing under fire
The dispute centers on how Tesla described its technology.
State officials said the terminology and presentation could mislead consumers into believing the cars are capable of driving themselves.
In a statement issued Tuesday, the DMV said Tesla “successfully took action” to meet the requirements set in December.
“Tesla successfully took the required action to stop using the term ‘Autopilot’ in the marketing of its vehicles in California, as required by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) last December. In doing so, Tesla avoids having its dealer and manufacturer licenses suspended by DMV for 30 days.”
DMV Director Steve Gordon added: “The DMV is committed to safety throughout all California’s roadways and communities. The department is pleased that Tesla took the required action to remain in compliance with the State of California’s consumer protections.”
Feature changes expand
Separately, Tesla has been removing Autosteer from newly delivered vehicles.
The change first appeared in the Cybertruck and later extended to entry-level versions of other models late last year.
In January, the removal widened to include all new Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.
Although the DMV’s action focused on branding, Tesla was not explicitly required to eliminate Autosteer as part of the compliance steps.
Even so, the feature has disappeared from new cars, and in some regions where Full Self-Driving is unavailable, Autopilot itself is no longer offered.
For California regulators, the retirement of the Autopilot name marks a regulatory victory centered on consumer protection and clarity.
Sources: InsideEV,
