German court ruled Tesla's touchscreen windshield wiper controls are the same as texting while driving
AP/Ted S. Warren
Tesla's touchscreen windshield wiper controls are the same as using a phone while driving, a German court said in March.
The case stems from a 2017 wreck which landed a driver with a fine and license suspension, and regained attention when a local blog published details of the ruling in late July and US media picked it up this week.
Usually, the wipers are automatic, but manual speed controls exist on the cars central control system.
A 2017 wreck is still causing headaches for Tesla.
A German judge ruled earlier this year that the touchscreen controls for Tesla's windshield wipers — usually automatic, but manual speed controls can be used — constitute an illegal mobile device, according to the BBC.
Newfound interest in the case spiked because of a local legal blog's recent reporting on the accident, which was spotted by US media this week. The judgment from March sets a precedent for further Tesla cases and backs up the driver's original punishment, a fine and license suspension, which is the same as using a phone while driving.
Jalopnik's Jason Torchinsky puts it a little more bluntly: "You should not have to look at a damn center-mounted touchscreen button to change your wiper speed."
German courts have had it out for Tesla this year.
In July, a judge sided with a German trade organization when it ruled that Tesla's Autopilot ads were misleading about the driver-assistance software's capabilities.
The software has been blamed in a handful of wrecks where inattentive drivers lost control of their vehicles. Tesla maintains the quick reactions and automatic braking improves traffic safety.
Read the original article on Business Insider
