Finland has approved Tesla’s driver-assistance software for use on public roads. The approval could be revoked depending on the result of a European Union-level vote expected in coming weeks.

Cryptopolitan reported on Nov. 11 that Finland’s Transport and Communications Agency Traficom recognised a temporary type approval granted in April by the Dutch vehicle authority RDW. That allows Tesla to offer the system to customers in Finland immediately. The decision was made on Nov. 10.

Finland is the 11th EU member state to approve Tesla’s driver-assistance system. Lithuania, Estonia, Denmark, Belgium, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovakia and Latvia have allowed the system, starting with the Netherlands.

The system supports the vehicle in steering, braking and accelerating by itself. Drivers must still monitor road conditions and be ready to take over at any time. Drivers are also responsible for incidents on the road, including speeding fines.

Finnish authorities decided to approve the system after Tesla changed the system name and speed settings. Tesla changed the existing name “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) to “Tesla assisted driving” and agreed not to use the term autonomous driving in advertising in Finland and Sweden. Jukka Ujhula (유카 유홀라), a senior expert at Traficom, explained that the new name helps users and the market understand the system’s actual functions.

Speed-limit settings were also tightened. Drivers cannot set the system to exceed the speed limit by a large margin, and any setting to exceed the limit is reset each time the vehicle is restarted. Under changes approved by Dutch authorities on Nov. 3, the allowed speed-limit exceedance was reduced to 10 percent from 50 percent. Tesla also agreed to the same rule with Germany’s transport ministry in early October.

Additional inspections may be required depending on whether the vehicle has been modified. Traficom said no new vehicle inspection is required to use the system itself, but additional checks may be needed if modifications that could affect operation were made, such as abnormal tyre sizes or lowered suspension.

Finland said there were two reasons it moved quickly to approve the system before an EU-level final decision. Tesla completed the required changes, and the move is intended to help drivers become familiar with the system before winter cold intensifies. The system’s operation may be limited if cameras are covered by snow, mud or contaminants, or if traffic conditions become complex.

About 8,000 to 9,000 Teslas in Finland can use the system, representing about 0.3 percent of all vehicles in operation. Ujhula explained that the relatively small number of vehicles on the road was also one reason authorities decided on early approval.

The approval does not mean Finland will support the EU-level vote. Final approval must go through a vote by the Technical Committee - Motor Vehicles (TCMV) under the European Commission. Traficom expects a decision this winter, and a vote could take place as early as a December meeting.

To obtain EU-wide approval, at least 15 of the 27 member states must support it, and those countries must represent at least 65 percent of the EU’s total population. If the vote fails, approvals already granted by individual countries will be revoked. Major markets such as France, Germany, Italy and Spain have not yet approved the system.