Tesla Renames Full Self-Driving to Tesla Assisted Driving in Europe

Tesla’s cutting edge Despite being marketed as fully autonomous driving with supervision, Tesla’s driver-assistance system cannot drive itself. The technology can accelerate, brake, steer and park, but automakers require drivers to remain attentive and ready to intervene at all times.

Tesla has officially changed the system’s name to Tesla Assisted Driving (TAD) in Europe, in a move aimed at persuading regulators to allow the technology to operate on public roads.

Tesla seeks European approval for its driver-assistance system

Tesla requested the name change, but according to a statement from the German Ministry of Transport, German Transport Minister Steffen Birger considered the name “FSD” to be “somewhat misleading.”

After discussions with Tesla last month, Birger said he would push for European regulators to approve the feature “as soon as possible.” The European Union could vote on recognizing the system by the end of the year.

Tesla began using Tesla Driver Assistance language on its European sales website on Friday. The automaker did not respond to requests for comment.

Why Tesla is changing the FSD name

Tesla has resisted renaming the feature for years and defended its terminology in court. Last year, the California Department of Transportation concluded that Tesla’s use of the terms “Full Self-Driving” and “Autopilot”—an older and less advanced driver-assistance feature—was misleading and violated state law.

Tesla stopped using the term “Autopilot” after the agency threatened to suspend the company’s manufacturing and dealer licenses in the state. The term “(Supervised)” will also continue to be included in the official name of Tesla’s fully autonomous driving technology.

Tesla Full Self-Driving faces ongoing scrutiny

Tesla drivers say FSD has improved significantly since its introduction in 2020. Fans online claim they can now complete entire trips without intervening in their vehicles’ operation.

However, Tesla’s driver-assistance technology has faced significant scrutiny. The U.S. federal government began investigating the system in March after nine incidents in which FSD allegedly failed to respond to reduced visibility and warn drivers to continue driving.

Tesla also recalled an older version of its software in 2023 after the U.S. government found that it did not comply with some traffic laws.

Tesla expands its driver-assistance technology worldwide

Tesla and CEO Elon Musk have long sought approval for the company’s driver-assistance technology in additional global markets. Broader approval could create a lucrative software-based revenue stream for the world’s most valuable automaker. Tesla currently charges $99 per month for a Full Self-Driving (Supervised) subscription in the United States.

Australia and New Zealand approved the system last year. This spring, the Netherlands became the first European government to grant Tesla provisional permission to launch FSD. A version of the feature became available to customers in China in May.

This week, Reuters reported that Tesla presented misleading safety data to European regulators while seeking approval for FSD. Safety researchers have also accused automakers of using misleading statistics to promote their technology in the United States.