Hamartia Antidote
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EU Speeds Up Driver Assist Regulations That Would Allow Tesla To Deploy FSD Beta in Europe
The European Commission has given Driver Control Assistance Systems (DCAS) regulations the highest priority, potentially speeding up Tesla FSD deployment
www.autoevolution.com
Elon Musk promised long ago that the FSD Beta software would launch in Europe, but nothing has happened. The European Union is known for its bureaucracy, making legislation changes lengthy. Still, things could be moving on faster in the case of Driver Control Assistance Systems (DCAS) legislation after the European Commission fast-tracking it.
Tesla owners in Europe are jealous to see people in the US and Canada testing the FSD Beta software. Despite many promises, the software cannot be deployed in Europe because the legislation would not allow it. Speaking at the Giga Berlin opening ceremony last year, Musk famously said that FSD Beta works in the US but not in Europe because things are legal by default in the US. By contrast, in Europe, they are illegal by default. It's a significant difference, as European legislation requires every new initiative to be approved beforehand.
European regulations have moved slowly, with a final draft expected to be completed in 2024. This was not as fast as Tesla wanted since it meant FSD Beta could not have been approved in Europe earlier than 2025. Still, the European Commission intends to speed up driver assist regulations, making them its highest priority. The new plan is to finalize the draft in June and adopt it as early as September, giving Tesla hopes that the FSD Beta could be allowed on European roads in early 2024, one full year earlier than expected.
The first phase of the legislation (hands-on driving) will be separated from the hands-off (Phase 2) to accelerate the process. Therefore, only hands-on will be allowed in Europe until Phase 2 legislation is adopted. The European lawmakers also discussed allowing a closed testing phase before the legislation draft approval in January 2024. It should be noted that even though the new regulations will enable FSD Beta, it's not a guarantee that Tesla will roll out the software in Europe.
Still, previous news from Tesla indicates that the EV maker is eager to deploy FSD Beta in Europe as soon as possible. As usual, Tesla moved much faster than European lawmakers, with plans to launch beta testing in the European countries in early 2023. In January, Tesla advertised for the position of ADAS test operator in Switzerland, Finland, and Denmark. While Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, it is bound by agreements to comply with European legislation.
The job listings align with expectations, considering how different the European roads and legislation are, compared to North America. There are also variations across European countries which could make FSD development more challenging. Still, Elon Musk previously said that 90% of the FSD Beta features developed for North America apply worldwide. Based on this, there is only 10% left to adjust to the European legislation once it is set in stone later this year.
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