The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has sent a letter to a company regarding the unauthorized use of the NTSB Seal in its commercial materials. The agency asserts that the company did not obtain permission to use the seal and that it falsely implies endorsement by the NTSB. As a result, the NTSB demands that the unsanctioned use of the seal be stopped immediately and that it be removed from the company’s website, YouTube page, and any further airings of the offending commercial.
The advertisement in question featured the NTSB Seal and stated that the “feds demanded that Autopilot be restricted to freeways,” implying that tragic accidents occurred after Tesla refused this request and continued to allow Autopilot use in improper areas. Additionally, the commercial urged viewers to “boycott Tesla to keep your kids safe,” alleging that the automaker’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta would endanger pedestrians, including children. The NTSB’s letter emphasizes the unauthorized use of its seal and the false implications of endorsement, and demands its immediate cessation and removal from the company’s advertising materials.