Tesla drops Full Self-Driving name in Europe amid concerns over misleading motorists

Tesla has dropped the Full Self-Driving (FSD) name for its driver assistance technology in Europe, rebranding the system as Tesla Assisted Driving amid concerns that its previous name could give drivers a misleading impression of its capabilities.

The change follows intervention by Germany’s transport ministry, which questioned the use of the Full Self-Driving name for technology that doesn't fully operate the vehicle independently or remove responsibility from the driver.

The system assists with steering, acceleration and braking, but drivers must remain engaged and responsible for the vehicle at all times.

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has welcomed scrutiny of the technology’s marketing but raised separate concerns about its proposed approval in Europe.

Germany has indicated support for allowing the system to exceed detected speed limits by up to 10%, something the ETSC argues would conflict with UN regulations governing driver assistance systems.

Tesla’s technology received provisional approval from Dutch authorities in April under an EU exemption for new technologies, with wider European approval still under consideration.

The ETSC has called for greater scrutiny of the system's safety credentials before approval is extended across Europe.

The change highlights the importance of clear and accurate descriptions of vehicle technology, which includes fleet operators and drivers that need to understand the balance between a vehicle providing assistance and when they need to remain in control.

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