Helsinki: Finland has approved Tesla’s Assisted Driving system for use on local roads, allowing the electric vehicle manufacturer to offer the technology to customers following recognition of a provisional type-approval granted by the Netherlands.
The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) confirmed that the system can now operate on Finnish roads as a driver assistance technology. The decision allows Tesla to make the feature available to customers without waiting for wider European Union approval.
Traficom based its decision on the provisional type-approval issued by the Dutch transport authority. By recognising the existing authorisation, the Finnish agency has permitted the technology to be used under the driver assistance category.
The system allows Tesla vehicles to steer themselves while remaining under driver supervision. It is not an unrestricted autonomous driving system, and drivers must continue to monitor the vehicle and oversee its operation.
Finland had indicated in June that it could approve the technology before an EU-wide decision. Broader European authorisation remains pending and would require the support of a qualified majority of member states.
The Netherlands became the first European country to grant provisional approval for the system in April. The decision marked an initial step towards a possible wider rollout across the EU, subject to support from other member states.
Since then, several other European countries have also permitted the technology. Estonia, Croatia and Belgium are among the countries that have allowed Tesla’s Assisted Driving system under their respective regulatory arrangements.
However, the approach has not been uniform across Europe, with some regulators continuing to express caution about the technology and the safety requirements for supervised driving systems. Finland’s decision adds another market recognising the Dutch provisional approval, allowing Tesla to offer the feature to Finnish customers while the broader EU approval process remains unresolved.
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