Tesla drops the 'Full Self-Driving' name in Europe: it is now 'Tesla Assisted Driving'

Tesla has quietly renamed its best-known software product in Europe. On its European websites, Full Self-Driving is now called Tesla Assisted Driving, Reuters reported on October 9, 2026. The change follows months of criticism from regulators who said the old name suggested the car could drive itself.

What changed

Tesla's pages for countries including Slovakia, Germany, Spain and the Netherlands now use the new name. The Slovak FSD page redirects to the renamed version. In the United States nothing changes: Tesla still sells Full Self-Driving (Supervised), for $99 a month.

The software itself has not changed. Electrek, cited by The Next Web, found that the new German page is essentially a translation of the US page with the name swapped. It still says the car can drive almost anywhere under supervision and still promotes Robotaxi and the Cybercab.

Why regulators pushed back

Several European authorities had argued that the name was misleading, because the system needs constant supervision and the driver stays legally responsible:

• Germany: the transport ministry said the name was misleading because the system never takes over the driving task. Earlier this week, Germany said Tesla had offered to switch names. Transport minister Steffen Bilger said he would push for fast EU-wide approval in return.
• Italy: in correspondence obtained by Reuters, officials wrote that the name and Tesla's promotion could make users believe the car drives itself without supervision.
• Sweden: consumer protection authorities asked the Swedish Transport Agency to assess whether the marketing gives a false impression of fully autonomous driving.

Reuters also reported that Tesla encouraged owners and supporters to lobby national regulators for faster approvals.

The issue is not new. Back in 2020, a court in Munich barred Tesla from advertising the 'full potential for autonomous driving'. Tesla kept the name elsewhere until now.

The bigger goal: EU-wide approval

The rename is closely tied to Tesla's effort to get the software approved across the European Union. The status at the moment:

• Eight EU countries allow the system, up from six a month ago. The Netherlands issued the original approval, and countries such as Czechia and Croatia have recognised it.
• Slovakia is expected to become the ninth within days, according to its transport minister.
• An EU committee was due to vote on October 6 but did not. December is now the earliest possible date.
• France, Germany, Italy and Spain have not yet allowed the system.

Speed is the next hurdle

The name was only one point of criticism. Germany wants the system to be capped at 10% above the posted speed limit. Reuters reported that the version approved in the Netherlands allows up to 50% above the detected limit. France and Sweden have also raised speed concerns. Tesla has not said whether it will change the software.

Why it matters

For buyers in Europe, the rename is mostly cosmetic: the features and the price stay the same. For Tesla, it removes one argument that national regulators could use against approval, and it may make an EU-wide decision easier. It also shows that Tesla is willing to change its marketing to win access to a large market.

What to watch next

Watch whether Slovakia's approval comes through, whether Tesla offers a speed cap to satisfy Germany, and whether the EU vote happens in December. Another question is whether the new name spreads beyond Europe.