A California judge has ordered Elon Musk to release private emails as part of an ongoing legal battle against Tesla, the electric vehicle company he leads. The court is investigating whether Tesla intentionally misled consumers through its advertising of Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) features.
The decision comes as part of a broader lawsuit filed in 2022 by Briggs A. Matsko, which claims that Tesla exaggerated the capabilities of its driver assistance technologies. This move signals a significant escalation in the scrutiny facing Musk and Tesla’s marketing practices.
Court Demands Musk’s Emails in Tesla Lawsuit Over Allegedly Misleading Autopilot Advertising
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in San Francisco, accuses Tesla of misleading advertising regarding its autonomous driving technology. Plaintiffs argue that Tesla’s promotional materials and public statements falsely suggested that its vehicles were either fully or nearly fully autonomous.
Since 2016, consumers who purchased or leased Tesla vehicles with Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot, or Full Self-Driving features may have been misled into believing the technology was more capable than it truly is. The complaint asserts that these misrepresentations endangered public safety and manipulated the perception of self-driving advancements.
Judge Orders Elon Musk to Hand Over Emails in Tesla Autopilot Lawsuit Alleging Misleading ClaimsTesla had proposed a limited discovery process involving five company officials or “custodians” to demonstrate the company’s intent and knowledge regarding its marketing. However, on April 18, the court rejected this plan, stating it was insufficient. Instead, the court ruled that Elon Musk himself must serve as a custodian.
This means Musk will be required to submit his emails and other communications for review, as they are considered potentially crucial in determining whether he knowingly made false or misleading statements about Tesla’s driver assistance systems.
Plaintiff Alleges Misleading Claims as Tesla’s Autopilot Faces Legal Scrutiny in Court
Matsko, the lead plaintiff and a California resident, alleges he paid a $5,000 premium for the Enhanced Autopilot feature on his 2018 Tesla Model X, expecting a nearly autonomous vehicle. He contends that Tesla has not delivered on its promises and describes the software updates as experimental, with customers acting as unwitting test subjects.
The complaint highlights multiple instances of malfunctioning, such as vehicles steering into traffic or failing at routine driving tasks, suggesting that the advertised safety and reliability were overstated.
The ruling underscores the relevance of Musk’s direct involvement in marketing claims and raises the stakes for Tesla. The court dismissed Tesla’s argument that Musk’s internal communications were irrelevant, citing his public statements as central to the case. This development opens the door to more detailed discovery and may influence the outcome of the trial.
As of now, Tesla has not issued an official response to the court’s decision. Musk will be compelled to comply, and the next steps in the legal process could provide deeper insights into Tesla’s internal knowledge and intent regarding its autonomous driving technologies.