Tesla Renames Full Self-Driving System To Assisted Driving In Europe

Tesla is dropping the Full Self-Driving name for its vehicles in Europe. The system will now be called Tesla Assisted Driving on European websites. This comes after German and other European regulators put pressure on the company to change the branding.

Germany’s transportation ministry stated the original label was somewhat misleading for consumers. Regulators say the driver must remain attentive at all times while using the system. It supports tasks like accelerating and braking but does not take over the entire driving task.

In the United States, the service is still sold under the name Full Self-Driving (Supervised). The company charges drivers $99 a month for the access in both regions. Dutch regulators previously stated a vehicle with FSD Supervised is not self-driving during their approval process.

Missy Cummings, an engineering professor at George Mason University, says the renaming convention is not enough. She notes the change ignores ongoing NHTSA investigations into the system's safety. Critics have faulted Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk for pushing overly aggressive claims about the vehicle capabilities.

Reports indicate Elon Musk and Tesla are running smear campaigns on European social media regarding the approval process. They claim regulators in places like the Netherlands are delaying approval of its systems. Officials argue the system requires supervision rather than being a self-driving solution.