Musk welcomes German backing for Tesla driver assistance tech as group chases EU approval
TSLA•Elon Musk welcomed Germany’s support for Tesla’s driver-assistance system as it seeks EU approval. Germany agreed the system may exceed speed limits by up to 10%, and Tesla offered to rename it Tesla Assisted Driving.
1. Germany backs approval push
German Transport Minister Steffen Bilger said he is advocating for prompt EU approval after discussing technical details and liability issues with Tesla. He said Germany will support allowing the system to exceed speed limits by up to 10%, a point of contention in the EU approval process.
2. Safety and naming concerns
Tesla offered to rename the system “Tesla Assisted Driving” to address concerns that its current name is misleading because the technology assists drivers but is not fully autonomous. Seven traffic-safety researchers who examined Tesla’s European research said it does not examine crash rates or traffic deaths, instead using driving behaviours such as hard braking and horn-honking as proxies.
3. EU decision delayed
Germany joins the Netherlands and Belgium in supporting the technology, while Sweden and France have raised concerns about speeding. An EU vote expected in October has been pushed back to at least December while some countries conduct additional tests. Tesla has called approval key to boosting its European sales.
