A South Korean consumer group plans to file a complaint against Tesla on Thursday over its marketing of Full Self-Driving. Citizens United for Consumer Sovereignty alleges Tesla sold FSD to buyers whose vehicles cannot legally use the technology. The group will ask the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) to restrict advertising, impose fines and refer the case to investigators.
The complaint alleges Tesla marketed Full Self-Driving (Supervised) for years without clearly explaining vehicle eligibility limits. It alleges the company collected one-time payments of up to 9.043 million won, or approximately USD 6,726.
According to Tesla Korea's country manager, only around 20% of Teslas registered in South Korea are currently eligible to use FSD. Those eligible vehicles mainly come from the United States and meet safety standards recognized under a trade agreement.
Most Teslas sold in South Korea come from China, where the same regulatory recognition does not apply. Tesla has sold more than 170,000 Shanghai-produced vehicles in the country since 2023.
Company data submitted to the National Assembly showed 99% of new Teslas sold last year could not legally use FSD. The group says Tesla promoted the software as "coming soon" and shared a local demonstration video without clearly explaining restrictions.
"Tesla generated substantial revenue by selling an expensive driver-assistance system to mass-market buyers who cannot use it for even a single day," said Choi Young-suk, the group's automotive issues lead.
The KFTC confirmed an investigation into Tesla's FSD advertising began earlier this year. It has received written responses from Tesla, although officials have not disclosed further details.
South Korea's transport ministry says FSD fails to meet local safety rules, including requirements for drivers to keep their hands on the wheel. Tesla only recently began seeking certification for China-made vehicles, despite marketing the software for more than three years. Tesla did not respond to Reuters' request for comment.
The complaint also follows a Seoul court ruling that rejected refund claims from 88 Tesla owners last month. The court said FSD did not promise fully autonomous driving and cited regulatory limits on additional features. FSD still requires active human supervision, despite its name and Tesla's stated ambitions for driverless vehicles.
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