Tesla drivers in France are suing the company to terminate the leases for their vehicles, alleging that chief executive Elon Musk’s political activities have made their cars “far-right totems”. The lawsuit brought by about 10 customers alleges that Musk has “tarnished” the Tesla brand through his “far-right” politics.

Musk said in a social media post this week that Tesla’s long-awaited robotaxi service will roll onto the streets of Austin, Texas on June 22. The Tesla CEO is betting the company’s future on autonomous vehicles (AV) and a robotaxi service – which will hopefully inject much-needed cash just as the company’s sales and profits are slumping.