Sweden may oppose the European Union approval of Tesla’s supervised self-driving technology, over concerns that the system allows vehicles to exceed legal speed limits. According to a letter from the Swedish Transport Authority sent on April 30 to the EU’s Technical Committee for Motor Vehicles, Tesla’s self-driving function should not be approved for use on European roads unless the company disables the ability for vehicles to travel above legal speed limits, Reuters reported on Thursday.
The document, obtained through a request for access to public documents, warns that allowing automated systems to systematically exceed legal speed limits could undermine the legal framework and the expected safety benefits that vehicle automation brings.
The European committee is expected to meet again on June 30 to discuss the issue, ahead of a vote on whether the technology will be allowed across the bloc. At the heart of the debate is the “Speed Offset” feature, which allows users to set a speed difference above the posted road limit. Swedish authorities are demanding the feature be removed, warning that they will recommend a vote against approving the technology if it fails. Internal documents show that the Swedish Transport Agency has also raised concerns with Tesla and the Dutch regulatory authority RDW, which in April gave preliminary approval for the system and supports its expansion across the European Union.
Meanwhile, other Nordic countries such as Finland and Norway have also expressed reservations about the speed limit feature. On the other hand, the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Lithuania and Estonia have allowed the use of the technology, arguing that responsibility remains with the driver. To enter into force across the European Union, the proposal must receive the support of at least 15 of the 27 member states, representing at least 65 percent of the bloc’s population.