German government asks Tesla to stop using term ‘Autopilot’ in ads

The German government has asked that Tesla stop using the word “Autopilot” in its advertising, over concerns that it might suggest that drivers don’t need to pay attention to the road while driving, according to Reuters.

German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt sent a letter to the automaker on Friday, noting that the term was “misleading” and that the request was made “to avoid misunderstandings and false customer expectations,” according to German newspaper Bild am Sonntag. The Federal Motor Transport Authority recently reminded Tesla drivers that the feature is only an assistive device, and that the vehicles are not “a highly automated vehicle that can be operated without constant attention of the driver.”

A Tesla spokesperson told Reuters that it advises drivers that their attention is required at all times, and that Autopilot is designed to provide “an added layer of safety when compared to purely manual driving.”