TOKYO -- Automakers in Japan will have to dial back their pitches, as an industry group cracks down on advertising that misleads customers about the safety and reliability of automated driving technology.
The Automobile Fair Trade Council has laid down new rules on what ads can say and show. Since last fall, some vehicle makers have been airing ads considered to be problematic, showing drivers taking their hands off the wheel or their eyes off the road. The AFTC and others have received complaints that advertisers are promoting unsafe driving habits and misleading customers about whether automatic driving technology could fully drive a car on its own.
