“It was not marketing for us”: Tesla forced to reimburse € 10,000 for her false driving
Illustration. A couple uses the navigation system of a Tesla Model 3. Marc Dobin and his wife, not represented here, had bet on the full self-driving to preserve their autonomy. Despite a supplement of $ 10,000, the functionality has never been delivered. © Shutershock
Since 2016, Tesla hammered that her cars have been “ready” for completely independent driving. Eight years later, This promise is still not held. A tenacious and well informed client has decided to assert his rights … and he won. The manufacturer had to reimburse him $ 10,000 (more taxes) for an ever delivered feature. An arbitration that hurts.
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Tesla sentenced to reimburse a full-self-driving option… never functional
Marc Dobin is not an ordinary customer. This American lawyer in arbitration law is also a faithful of Tesla: three vehicles of the brand in a few years, including a model bought there in 2021. But this time, technological enthusiasm turned into a legal litigation. Because the famous “Full self-driving” pack (FSD), sold $ 10,000, has never kept its promises.
The promise of a car capable of transporting my wife offered a real hope of independence, while its mobility declined.
“It was not just marketing for us”writes Dobin in a long blog post. “The promise of a car capable of transporting my wife offered a real hope of independence, while its mobility was declining.”
Tesla put forward her full self-driving system during demonstrations in Paris, promising an “next” autonomous driving. But years later, the functionality remains incomplete. © Tesla
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But here it is: in use, it is impossible to activate FSD. Tesla demanded a “security note” obtained via impeccable driving – a requirement never mentioned in purchase. Worse still, even activated, FSD required constant human vigilance. Not really autonomous driving, therefore.
Dobin did not drop the case. With his experience in arbitration, he brought the case before a private court, as stipulated in Tesla’s contract. After months of procedure, an audience was held … on Zoom. Tesla, for her part, sent a simple technician, unable to answer key questions: what material versions? What follow -up of journeys? What contractual compliance?
“He was a technician, not a lawyer nor a salesperson. And yet, it was he that Tesla sent the file to defend. In the end, I almost had trouble for him.” The verdict is final. The referee concluded that “The functionality was neither available nor operational.” Result: Tesla had to reimburse Dobin, as well as the $ 8,000 of arbitration fees.
The system was neither functional, operational nor even available. Tesla has sold an empty promise.
An isolated decision? Maybe not. Thousands of customers, sometimes billed up to $ 15,000 for FSD, could be inspired by them. Especially since Elon Musk recognized, in January 2025, that Even HW3 equipment will not be enough To reach autonomous driving without supervision.
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