Tesla’s European expansion of Full Self-Driving (FSD) has hit a potential regulatory hurdle, with Sweden formally recommending the European Union reject a broader rollout unless the company removes a controversial feature that allows vehicles to exceed posted speed limits.
According to documents obtained by Reuters through a freedom of information request, Sweden’s Transport Administration (TRV) sent a letter to the EU’s Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles (TCMV) on April 30 outlining its concerns with Tesla’s “Speed Offset” functionality.
The feature allows drivers to set a margin above the posted speed limit that FSD can follow while operating under supervision.
In the letter, Swedish officials argued that the feature conflicts with the principles regulators expect from automated driving systems.
“Allowing automated systems to systematically exceed legal speed limits risks undermining both the legal framework and the expected safety benefits of vehicle automation.”
The TCMV is scheduled to meet on June 30 to continue discussions on Tesla’s FSD approval, although a final vote is not expected at that meeting.
The dispute highlights one of the biggest philosophical differences between Tesla’s approach to automated driving and the expectations of many European regulators. Tesla has long designed FSD to behave more like a human driver, adapting to traffic conditions and moving with the flow of surrounding vehicles. In North America, drivers can choose from several driving styles, including options that permit more assertive behavior and speeds above posted limits.
While those driving profiles are not available in Europe, Tesla still offers “Speed Offset” and “Contextual Max Speed,” both of which can result in the vehicle travelling above the posted limit under certain conditions.
That flexibility is drawing opposition from Sweden and several other Nordic countries. Finland and Norway have also reportedly raised concerns about the speeding functionality, along with questions about how well FSD performs in winter driving conditions, including icy roads that are common throughout the region.
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