Tesla has altered the branding of its 'Full Self-Driving (Supervised)' system to 'Assisted Driving' in response to concerns from German regulators, who deemed the original name misleading. The German Federal Ministry of Transport emphasized that the system does not fully automate driving tasks and requires driver attention at all times.
This change comes as Tesla seeks to expand its market presence in Europe, where electric vehicle sales are increasing due to high fuel prices linked to the war in Iran. Despite the rebranding in Europe, the system remains marketed as 'Full Self-Driving' in the U.S. for a subscription fee of $99 per month.
Tesla is also facing scrutiny from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regarding the safety of its FSD system under various visibility conditions and potential links to traffic violations.
Additionally, Tesla is involved in ongoing litigation over allegations of deceptive marketing related to its Autopilot and FSD systems, which a California judge previously ruled had misled consumers about their automation capabilities. In its latest earnings report, Tesla noted having 1.48 million active FSD subscriptions, although it did not specify how many were from free trials or incentives.
This rebranding and regulatory scrutiny could impact Tesla's sales strategy and public perception in the competitive European EV market