Tesla has replaced the “Full Self-Driving” designation with “Tesla Assisted Driving” on its European websites. The change has already been implemented in Germany, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands and other markets, and the company has also updated its online owner’s manuals. In the US, the system will continue to be called Full Self-Driving.
The renaming comes amid pressure to approve the technology across the European Union. It is a driver assistance system that can take on certain tasks but does not drive the car fully independently in all situations. The driver must keep an eye on the road and be ready to intervene.
The German Federal Ministry of Transport said Tesla proposed the new name after talks with German authorities. Transport Minister Stefan Bilger described the old designation as misleading, as the system "does not take over the entire driving task". He said the driver remains responsible for driving the car safely.
The name was criticized by European regulators
Reuters reported that regulators in several European countries have expressed concerns that the name Full Self-Driving could give drivers the wrong impression that the car can drive itself in any situation and without constant human control. This is possible despite the specification "Supervised", which Tesla used to name the system.
The change comes about six months after the Dutch regulator RDW gave the green light for the introduction of the system after extensive tests. Croatia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Lithuania, Denmark and Belgium later gave approval. The system is now approved in eight EU countries, and approval in Slovakia is expected soon.
EU vote postponed to December
Elon Musk has described the technology as crucial to Tesla's future and has pushed for the system to be approved across the EU. However, the vote scheduled for this month has been postponed to December.
A qualified majority of 15 of the 27 member states is needed to introduce the system across the EU. The new name could remove one of the main regulatory problems, but it does not change the requirement that the driver remain attentive and responsible for driving.
Sources: carscoops.com, techcrunch.com, ca.investing.com