Why does California threaten to stop Tesla sales for 30 days?

Tesla could face a 30-day sales ban in the US state of California after a court found that the company overestimated the capabilities of the “Autopilot” system that helps the driver.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles said on Tuesday that it had postponed implementation for sixty days to allow the American company to make changes.

The administration added that if Tesla fails to do so, it will suspend its dealer’s license in the state for thirty days.

Tesla sold about 135,500 cars in California in the first nine months of the year, a 15% decline from a year earlier, according to dealer group estimates, ranking third after Toyota and Honda.

The court also proposed suspending Tesla’s manufacturing license in the state for thirty days, although the Department of Motor Vehicles said this measure had been suspended indefinitely.

The naming and marketing of the Autopilot system in Tesla cars, and especially its ability to “full self-driving”, has always been a matter of controversy. Despite the name, “full self-driving” does not make Tesla cars fully autonomous. Drivers must still remain alert and ready to take control of the vehicle at any time.