South Korean consumer group challenges Tesla over Full Self-Driving ads on incompatible cars

South Korean advocacy group Citizens United for Consumer Sovereignty has filed a complaint against Tesla with the Korea Fair Trade Commission over the marketing of its Full Self-Driving system. The feature sells as a one-time purchase for roughly 9.04 million Won, or about $6,800. The complaint arrives a week after a Seoul court dismissed a refund lawsuit from Korean drivers who purchased the package. [1][3]

The consumer group contends that FSD functions on only about 20 percent of Tesla's local fleet because vehicles imported from Shanghai lack compatible hardware. According to statements Tesla management gave to parliament, the system runs exclusively on US-built cars in South Korea. Yet more than 170,000 Shanghai-made vehicles have arrived in the country since 2023, leaving approximately 99 percent of new registrations for the 2025 model year incompatible with the software's necessary features. [1][3]

The group argues that Tesla continued advertising the driver-assist suite as fully functional despite these technical limitations. In response, consumer advocates are asking the Fair Trade Commission to launch an investigation, levy administrative fines, and impose an advertising ban on marketing FSD for incompatible models. [1]