New actions from California’s DMV require Tesla to stop using the term Autopilot in marketing to avoid a suspension, after regulators found the claims misleading about autonomous capabilities.

California, the nation’s largest auto market and a crucial hub for EV adoption, makes continued Tesla sales there particularly significant.

Tesla had already discontinued Autopilot in January and has increasingly labeled systems as Full Self-Driving (Supervised) to indicate supervision is still required.

The article emphasizes regulatory risk and Tesla’s compliance steps rather than broader policy debates.

Tesla did not comment immediately on the changes; reporting from outlets like CNET and Electrek is cited to detail developments.

FSD has shifted to a subscription model at $99 per month, after ending a prior $8,000 one-time fee, with potential price changes as capabilities expand.

Tesla’s stock moved modestly after the ruling, reflecting investor scrutiny amid weaker U.S. EV incentives and rising competition.

The article was updated on February 18, 2026, at 8:25 AM Pacific time.

Recent legal context includes a Miami jury verdict against Tesla for a fatal crash involving Autopilot and shareholder lawsuits over robotaxi claims.

Consumer Reports ranked Tesla’s driver-assistance eighth among peers, criticizing that it isn’t as capable as some consumers expect.

NHTSA filings show five robotaxi-related crashes in December and January for Tesla, roughly four times the rate of a typical human driver, signaling ongoing safety challenges.

The piece notes the marketing terminology around driver-assistance features and frames it within the broader legal and regulatory context.