Tesla wins appeal: 9th Circuit decertifies California FSD class action from 2016–2024 buyers
mariolefebvre · x · 2026-10-20
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Ninth Circuit ruled on October 16, 2026 that California buyers who paid for Tesla's Full Self-Driving option from October 2016 to July 2024 cannot sue as a class, decertifying three classes (two damages, one injunction) that Judge Rita Lin certified in August 2025.
Crucially, the court did not rule on whether Tesla's autonomy promises were true — it held only that class-wide reliance can't be presumed from a single buyer's claim. The merits remain pending before Judge Lin. The article also walks through the FSD timeline since 2016 and what the ruling means for Quebec consumers considering FSD subscriptions or used "autonomy-ready" Teslas.