Latvia has officially approved Tesla Assisted Driving, becoming the 10th European Union country to recognize the provisional type approval issued by the Netherlands. Tesla said the feature would begin rolling out in Latvia soon through a software update.
Latvia’s Road Traffic Safety Directorate (CSDD) confirmed on Monday that it had recognized the approval granted by the Dutch vehicle authority, RDW. The decision follows the system’s European debut in the Netherlands in April and subsequent recognition by other EU member states.
Approval Follows Review of System Updates
Before recognizing the approval, CSDD reviewed documentation from RDW and information supplied by Tesla about changes to the system. These included a lower threshold for exceeding posted speed limits, stronger driver monitoring and an automatic reset of manually selected speed offsets after each journey.
Tesla recently renamed Full Self-Driving (Supervised) to Tesla Assisted Driving on its European websites. Despite the name change, the software remains a Level 2 driver assistance system that requires active driver supervision.
Drivers Remain Responsible
CSDD emphasized that drivers remain responsible for complying with traffic rules and for any violations or accidents. They must stay attentive, be ready to take control and avoid distractions such as smartphone use.
The authority also warned that snow, mud and road salt can interfere with the system’s performance under Latvian driving conditions.
Tesla Expands Its Presence in Latvia
Latvia’s approval adds another market to Tesla’s expanding European rollout. The company began taking online orders in Latvia in July and subsequently opened a pop-up store in Riga.
The recognition applies to Tesla vehicles covered by the Dutch approval and does not constitute EU-wide authorization, which requires a separate decision involving a qualified majority of member states.