Tesla drops 'Full Self-Driving' brand name in Europe after regulator pushback

A Tesla Model 3 is shown driving on the highway with FSD 14.2.2.3 self-driving supervised software in Irvine, California, U.S., Jan. 28, 2026.

Mike Blake | Reuters

Elon Musk's automaker Tesla has changed the brand name of its "Full Self-Driving (Supervised)," or FSD, system in Europe to "Assisted Driving" after German regulators called the branding "somewhat misleading."

The package is still sold under the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) branding in the U.S. as a $99 per month subscription for Tesla owners.

Tesla is gunning for approvals across Europe, where EV sales have been on the rise this year amid soaring fuel costs caused by the war in Iran, and where Tesla sales have shown signs of recovery from a sales slump last year.

On Tuesday, the German Federal Ministry of Transport, known as the BMV, said in a statement that Tesla's brand name "FSD" was "somewhat misleading," adding that "It is not a system that takes over the entire driving task. Rather, it is a driver assistance system that can support certain driving tasks such as accelerating, braking, and steering. The driver must remain attentive at all times."

Tesla has been pressuring automotive regulators in Europe, especially in the Netherlands, for rapid approval of their system. Reuters reported that in some cases, Tesla's "browbeating" pushed regulators to reduce the intensity of their safety tests and reviews of the company's technology.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the U.S. automotive safety regulator, is also investigating Tesla's FSD to determine if it is safe for drivers to use in fog, glaring sun or other reduced visibility conditions, and is investigating Tesla to determine whether FSD caused Tesla drivers to commit traffic violations — some that resulted in collisions.

In its second-quarter earnings update, Tesla said it had 1.48 million "active" FSD subscriptions but did not say how many were activated from free trials or other incentives.

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