Abstract:
Tesla is downplaying the name Full Self-Driving as it seeks approval of its driver-assist systems in Europe and distances itself from a name that has long been criticized as misleading. In recent days, Tesla has started using the name "Tesla Assisted Driving" on its European website. At the same time, its US website still calls this technology "Full Self-Driving (Supervised)", which means "fully automated assisted driving (subject to driving supervision)".
Tesla’s naming of driver assistance systems has long been questioned by regulators, safety advocates and even some owners. They believe that the name "fully autonomous assisted driving" can easily mislead people into thinking that the vehicle can drive completely autonomously, but in fact the driver must still remain alert and ready to take over the vehicle at any time. Critics have also accused Tesla CEO Elon Musk of making overly aggressive or ill-founded claims about the capabilities of the company's vehicles.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles threatened to suspend Tesla’s local sales of cars last year because it allegedly misled consumers in its marketing of driver-assist technologies. Regulators withdrew the threat after Tesla took "corrective action." Relevant measures include phasing out the Autopilot nomenclature and clarifying the circumstances under which Fully Assisted Driving (FSD) must be supervised by the driver.
FSD is an important revenue driver for Tesla's automotive business, and the company typically charges drivers $99 a month to use it. The technology is also key to Musk's push to transform Tesla into a technology-driven company seeking leadership in self-driving cars and robotics.
Tesla is currently looking to introduce FSD to Europe, but Europe has been slower to adopt the technology. When Dutch regulators approved FSD in April this year, they emphasized that the locally approved version was more restrictive than the version used in the United States, saying in a statement: "Vehicles equipped with fully automated assisted driving (subject to driver supervision) are not autonomous vehicles."
Tesla is still seeking approval from other European countries.
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