Tesla is facing legal backlash in multiple countries over what customers called unfulfilled self-driving promises.
The Wall Street Journal interviewed San Francisco resident Tom LoSavio, who paid $100,000 for a luxury Model S in 2017. He thought the electric vehicle had all the technology needed to drive itself once the upgrade was finalized — a feature he paid $8,000 for upfront to have included.
Complimentary camera, sensor, and other updates have been made since he bought it, but full self-driving ability has been continually postponed. With Tesla CEO Elon Musk championing yet more upgrades and their abilities, drivers of older models are wondering if they have been left in the rearview mirror with outdated hardware and software.
LoSavio, a retired attorney, is the lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit claiming that customers have paid for a feature that didn't and still doesn't exist. He wants a refund and for Tesla to stop marketing its EVs as self-driving, according to the story.
"You want to believe that you're not a fool," LoSavio told the WSJ.
A similar story is happening elsewhere, where collective claims have been filed over laggard self-driving promises. Mischa Sigtermans, who launched a legal effort in the Netherlands, posted on the social platform X that Tesla told him to "be patient."
Just got off the phone with Tesla.
— Mischa Sigtermans (@mischamartijn) April 17, 2026
After 7 years of waiting, their answer: 'just be patient'.
Are you kidding me?!
Called them about the €6.400 I paid for Full Self-Driving in 2019. Recorded the entire thing.
Here's what they said.
It's all part of a growing list of lawsuits facing Tesla. Electrek reported that the more than 20 cases could cost $14.5 billion if the plaintiffs win them all.
For Tesla's part, it remains a leading, global EV brand and a leading innovator in the sector. The company reported more than 418,000 deliveries during the fourth quarter of 2025. New models have self-driving capability with human supervision — a feature that now costs $99 a month, per Tesla's website.
"Currently enabled features require active driver supervision and do not make the vehicle autonomous," the marketing noted.
It's part of the reason LoSavio, Sigtermans, and other owners of older models feel their rides are outdated, despite prepaying for upgrades.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
"I believed they would make it happen," Sigtermans told the WSJ. "I just didn't think it would take them seven years, and still they wouldn't deliver."
Regardless, EVs in general remain a great upgrade. Switching is a formidable hedge against rising gas prices, even without autonomous options. Buying one can save you up to $1,500 annually in fuel and service costs.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
Cool Picks
