Germany will back Tesla FSD in the EU vote: a new name, “Tesla Assisted Driving,” and no more than 10% over the speed limit
Germany's transport ministry says it reached an agreement with Tesla and will push for EU-wide approval. Tesla has offered to rename the system, and speeding would be capped at 10% over the limit.
Tesla has just won its most important ally in Europe for FSD (Supervised). Germany's Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) announced yesterday that minister Steffen Bilger will push for the system to be approved across the European Union "soon."
The announcement came a few hours after the TCMV technical committee in Brussels discussed the file again, once more without a vote. A decision is expected in December.
What Berlin agreed with Tesla
According to the ministry, Bilger held talks with Tesla in September and the two sides reached "a constructive agreement." Specifically:
- The name. The ministry calls the name "FSD" "somewhat misleading," because the system doesn't take over the whole driving task; it only assists with accelerating, braking and steering. Tesla has offered to rename it "Tesla Assisted Driving," the name it already uses in China.
- Speed. The system may exceed the legal limit only "slightly, by a maximum of ten percent." That means no more than 55 km/h in a 50 zone. Today, the speed offset setting can allow up to 50% over the limit in some conditions, one of the main objections from Germany, Sweden and France.
- Liability. The driver remains "100 percent responsible" for driving the car, including in cities.
The ministry also notes that, based on its findings so far, the system shows "a high level of performance," especially in urban traffic.
Why it matters
Germany is the EU's largest car market and has almost 19% of the bloc's population. EU-wide approval needs a qualified majority: at least 15 member states representing 65% of the population. The eight countries that have already adopted the Dutch approval (the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Lithuania, Estonia, Slovenia, Czechia and Croatia) cover only a small part of that threshold. With Berlin on Tesla's side, the December vote looks much more promising.
Note that Germany has not approved FSD on its own roads. It has only promised to support the European procedure.
What it means for Romania
Romania hasn't adopted the Dutch approval, so a yes vote in December would be the fastest way for FSD to become legal here. If it passes, Romanian drivers could see it on screen as "Tesla Assisted Driving," with the 10% cap over the legal speed. What Romanian law would still need to clarify is covered in our guide to FSD (Supervised) in Europe and Romania.
