Tesla Model 3 in Germany, July 2026. Trop86 / CC0; cropped. File photo.
Finland has cleared Tesla’s supervised Assisted Driving system for use on its roads, allowing the electric-car maker to begin offering it to Finnish customers immediately, the country’s transport agency announced Wednesday.
The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency, Traficom, said it recognised the Dutch authority’s provisional type approval on November 10. The national decision opens Finland to the driver assistance system while a separate European Union approval process continues.
The clearance does not make Tesla vehicles autonomous. In its announcement, Traficom stressed that drivers remain fully responsible for driving, must monitor the system throughout a journey and must be ready to steer, brake or accelerate when needed. They cannot wait for the car to request intervention before taking action.
Tesla has also changed the system’s name from FSD (Supervised), short for Full Self-Driving (Supervised), to Assisted Driving. Traficom said the new name, including in Finnish- and Swedish-language materials, better reflects a system that helps the driver rather than takes over responsibility for driving.
The agency said changes to speed controls were another part of its assessment. Settings allowing a deviation above the speed limit now reset to the default with no deviation whenever the vehicle is restarted, and information about the system’s speed settings has been expanded. Drivers remain responsible for obeying speed limits.
Winter conditions can still limit the system. Traficom senior specialist Jukka Juhola said cameras covered by snow, slush or dirt, as well as unusually difficult traffic conditions, can affect its operation. The agency said recognising the approval now gives Finnish drivers time to become familiar with the system before the toughest winter conditions arrive.
Finland’s decision is not EU-wide approval. Traficom said a final EU decision is expected during the coming winter and requires a successful vote in the European Commission’s Technical Committee – Motor Vehicles. Finland’s national recognition does not bind its position in that vote, and the agency expects further changes to the system before EU approval.
JBizNews Desk | Helsinki
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