KATHMANDU: Tesla has renamed its driver-assistance system from “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)” to “Tesla Assisted Driving” in Europe following concerns from Germany’s Transport Ministry that the previous name could mislead customers.
The change follows discussions between Tesla and German transport officials in September. The ministry said the old name was misleading because drivers must remain attentive and are fully responsible for the vehicle at all times.
Tesla agreed to the new name during talks with German Transport Minister Steffen Bilger. Germany has also agreed to support the system’s approval across the European Union (EU), subject to conditions on its operation, according to media reports.
Germany says the system should allow speeds of no more than 10% above posted speed limits. This would require changes to Tesla’s software, as the system can currently exceed speed limits by a larger margin in some situations.
In return, Bilger wants Tesla’s system to become available across the EU as soon as possible. However, Germany has not yet approved the system for use.
Tesla’s new German website retains most of the claims made on its US website. The company says the vehicle can drive to almost any destination under the driver’s active supervision. It also claims the system is seven times safer than human drivers, based on estimates of average US driving safety.
Tesla lists eight EU countries where the system is approved: the Netherlands, Lithuania, Estonia, Denmark, Belgium, Slovenia, Czechia and Croatia.
EU-wide approval remains pending, with a vote delayed until December at the earliest. Approval requires support from at least 15 of the EU’s 27 member states, representing 65% of the bloc’s population. France and Sweden have also raised concerns about speeding.
In the United States, Tesla continues to market the system as “Full Self-Driving (Supervised),” priced at USD 99 per month.
