Tesla Renames 'Full Self-Driving' as 'Tesla Assisted Driving' in Europe
Tesla has renamed its advanced driver assistance system from “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)” to “Tesla Assisted Driving” for use in Europe, following pressure from Germany’s transportation ministry. The change reflects a strategic move by Tesla to align with regulatory expectations and facilitate broader adoption of the technology across the continent. German transport minister Steffen Bilger had criticized the previous name as misleading due to the system still requiring human oversight. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has long advocated for European approval of its self-driving software, emphasizing safety benefits in public statements on social media. Despite regulatory hurdles and past controversies involving Tesla’s Autopilot system—linked to several fatalities—the company continues to push forward with FSD technology improvements. The name change may help clear the path toward EU-wide approval later this year. However, recent reports from Reuters suggest that Tesla's campaign for European adoption has been based on flawed safety research and faced resistance from regulators like the Dutch RDW agency. Despite these challenges, Tesla remains confident in its system’s capabilities, which now include features such as automated parking and highway navigation.
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Topics: Autonomous Driving EU Regulation Product Naming Tesla