Tesla Inc. is backing away from its Full Self-Driving branding to help secure approval for the driver-assistance system in Europe, distancing the company from a name that has drawn criticism as dangerously misleading. The automaker has begun using the name “Tesla Assisted Driving” on its European websites in recent days. The U.S. version of the same site is continuing to use “Full Self-Driving (Supervised)” for the technology. Tesla’s driver-assistance branding has long been a point of contention with regulators, safety advocates and even some Tesla customers, who say the name gives the impression of full autonomy even though drivers must still be alert and ready to take control of their vehicles. Chief executive Elon Musk has also been faulted by critics for pushing overly aggressive or unfounded claims about Tesla vehicles’ capabilities. The California Department of Motor Vehicles last year threatened to suspend Tesla’s sales in the state over allegedly misleading marketing of driver-assistance technology. Authorities backed down after the company took “corrective action,” including phasing out its Autopilot branding and specifying when Full Self-Driving — also known as FSD — must have driver supervision. FSD is a significant financial driver for Tesla’s automotive business, which typically charges drivers US$99 a month for the system. It’s also key to Musk’s efforts to refashion the carmaker as a tech-forward company pioneering autonomous vehicles and robotics. Tesla is now seeking to bring the FSD system to Europe, which has been slow to embrace the technology. When Dutch regulators in April approved FSD, they emphasized that it was a more restrictive version than what is used in the U.S. and said in a statement that “a vehicle with FSD Supervised is not self-driving.” Musk is a trillionaire again as SpaceX claws back post-IPO slumpTesla gets Model 3 sales boost in Canada after Carney’s China deal The company continues to seek approval in other countries across the continent. Bloomberg.com
Tesla drops ‘self-driving’ branding to appease Europe regulators
