The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating Tesla over suspicions of fraud and deception of investors and consumers regarding the self-driving capabilities of their cars. This was reported by Reuters.

Autopilot and full autonomous driving systems in electric vehicles help with steering, braking, and lane changes, but they are not fully unmanned and require drivers to be attentive while driving.

The Department of Justice is reviewing statements made by Elon Musk and other company executives, as it believes that their words may have misled consumers and investors about the capabilities of autonomous driving.

For years, Elon Musk has been saying that Tesla’s autopilot works perfectly and can take car owners anywhere without the need to touch the steering wheel. He has also made statements that the autopilot can drive even better than humans. However, it is not yet known which statements from him and other company executives are being studied.

The Tesla investigation began at the end of 2021 and became publicly known in 2022. Among other things, wire fraud, which involves fraud in interstate communications by misleading consumers about autopilot systems, as well as investor fraud and securities fraud are being investigated.

In addition to the Department of Justice, Tesla’s claims about autopilot and full self-driving have also drawn attention in regulatory investigations and lawsuits.

Over the past few months, safety regulators and courts have expressed concern that corporate messaging about these technologies is giving customers a false sense of security on the road.