Tesla has renamed its advanced driver assistance system in Europe to Tesla Assisted Driving, dropping the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) name after pushback from Germany's transportation ministry. The change, reported by TechCrunch, marks a significant concession from Tesla, which had used the Full Self-Driving name for years even though the system requires human attention and intervention.
German transport minister Steffen Bilger said calling the software Full Self-Driving was misleading because it does not perform the entire task of driving. Bilger spoke with Tesla last month, and the company suggested the name change, according to an official release from the ministry. Bilger now says he will advocate for approval of Tesla Assisted Driving across Europe ahead of an EU-wide vote that could happen later this year.
Tesla's push for European approval
For years, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been vocal about wanting Full Self-Driving (Supervised) approved in Europe. In June 2025, he wrote on X that FSD in Europe would save lives of people in the car as well as vulnerable road users like pedestrians, cyclists, and pets, and urged people to let their governments know they want approval. In March of this year, he criticized the extreme regulatory burden of the EU, saying it stifles innovation, and predicted Europe would love Tesla self-driving. Just weeks later, the Netherlands became the first European country to approve FSD (Supervised).
However, Tesla's campaign has faced scrutiny. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that Tesla's push for European approval was built on faulty company safety research and flawed studies. The outlet also reported that the Dutch vehicle safety regulator, RDW, faced fierce pressure from Tesla and its legion of online supporters.
What Tesla Assisted Driving can do
Tesla's software has become more capable over the years. What used to be little more than lane centering and adaptive cruise control is now a driver assistance system that some owners use for nearly 100% of their daily driving. Tesla Assisted Driving can pull in and out of parking spots and navigate surface streets and highways. Tesla is so confident in the technology that it recently made it possible for the system to intervene in a human driver's control of the vehicle if it senses an oncoming collision, even if the system is not active.
