Yes — there is movement toward allowing (or “clearing”) system-initiated highway lane changes (i.e. lane changes without direct driver input) under new European/UNECE regulatory frameworks. But the legal permission is not yet fully in force everywhere. Here’s a breakdown of where things stand and what the change would mean:
Current state in Europe (pre-clearance for full autonomy)
- Under existing UNECE / EU / ECE regulations (e.g. Regulation 79 / vehicle direction / driver assistance rules), advanced features like lane changes are tightly constrained: they typically require the driver to initiate the lane change (e.g. via the turn-signal) rather than the system doing it autonomously. (ETSC)
- As of now, Tesla’s full self-driving (FSD) / advanced Autopilot features are not fully approved in Europe. One obstacle is regulatory approval for system-initiated maneuvers. (InsideEVs)
- There have been probes / scrutiny in some countries (e.g. Germany’s KBA) over whether Tesla’s automatic lane change feature is legal under current European rules. (Electrek)
- Some regulatory texts restrict assisted lane changes to motorways only (i.e. roads with certain separation / no pedestrians) and require the driver to trigger them. (ETSC)
What is changing / what’s in progress
- There is a new draft regulation: DCAS (Driver Control Assistance Systems), also known as UN Regulation 171, which is intended to be transposed into the EU’s safety / type-approval legal framework. This is aimed at upgrading how “level-2” (and extending) driver assistance systems are regulated. (single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu)
- Under the DCAS proposals, system-initiated lane changes would be allowed (in certain contexts, e.g. highways) even without driver input (i.e. the system would propose or carry out the maneuver) — while the driver remains responsible as supervisor. (ETSC)
- Some reports claim regulatory amendments are expected such that “System-Initiated Maneuvers” (SIM) on highways will become permitted under European / UNECE rules. (notateslaapp.com)
- The requirement may still include strong driver monitoring, ensuring that the driver is attentive and ready to take over. (ETSC)
- Some European projects / national regulators (e.g. in Netherlands) are working on granting authority / approvals for testing or limited rollouts of FSD / advanced autonomous functions. (notateslaapp.com)
- Also, the EU seems to be moving to allow “hands-off” driving (within regulated boundaries) for Level 2 systems under exemptions, for example for certain systems like Ford’s BlueCruise and BMW’s ones. (ETSC)
What “clearance” would effectively mean (if & when in force)
If Tesla (or others) obtain regulatory clearance for highway lane changes without driver initiation (i.e. system-initiated lane changes) in Europe, the implications are:
- Tesla vehicles could autonomously change lanes on highways (consistent with the route plan or to overtake slower traffic) without needing the driver to signal each time, subject to safety checks and constraints.
- The system would still have to comply with legal and safety constraints (speed, lane marking quality, sensor reliability, etc.).
- The driver would remain legally responsible—supervising, ready to intervene. The system would not shift driver liability (unless we move to higher automation levels). (ETSC)
- New requirements for driver monitoring (camera, attention checks) would likely be mandatory to allow these maneuvers.
- The clearance would probably be limited to certain classes of roads (motorways/highways) and under certain conditions (weather, clear lane markings, etc.).
- The feature might be rolled out gradually or conditionally (e.g. in countries that adopt the regulation, or for vehicles that have obtained a special type-approval).
Verdict: Has Tesla gained clearance yet?
No — Tesla has not yet gained full, general permission across Europe for system-initiated highway lane changes. The regulatory framework is evolving, and some draft rules are poised to allow exactly this kind of functionality (SIM on highways) under DCAS / UNECE rules. (notateslaapp.com) But until those rules are ratified and applied, and Tesla obtains the needed approvals, the existing restrictions still bind.