Tesla has officially launched a range-limited version of Actually Smart Summon in markets in Europe and the Middle East, as announced by the company this week. Some have expressed criticism for the limited version and for the related regulations, though the move could also represent a crucial step in Tesla’s aims to launch its Supervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) in the markets.
The company announced the news on in a post on its Europe and Middle East account on X on Thursday, after the company initially launched the highly-anticipated feature in the U.S. in September. For now, users must be within a 6-meter (~20 feet) range of the vehicle to use the feature, and some have expressed frustration with the limitation.
By comparison, Tesla’s Actually Smart Summon works within approximately 213 feet (~65 meters) in the U.S., which left many wondering why there was such a stark difference. As it turns out, there is a United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) regulation that requires operators to remain within 6 meters of their vehicle when operating them autonomously, hence the regulation.
Completely nerfed by @UNECE regulations, Actually Smart Summon (ASS) is slightly less useless than the previous Smart Summon, but still nowhere near what it’s capable of in North America 😭
We still need to stay within a 6 meter distance of the car… Just a party trick 😒 https://t.co/hWE7U2Rb0e pic.twitter.com/pCVd6kVsAm— TeslaStars✨ (@TeslaStars) November 22, 2024
In UNECE Regulation No. 79 Revision 5, it says that such a system’s “maximum RCP operating range shall not exceed 6 m,” explaining the limitation. You can see the full UNECE regulation here, or check out more details from Tesla about Actually Smart Summon here in its U.S. owner’s manual.
-->Actually Smart Summon ? enables your car to come to you from anywhere in the parking lot
You can also send it to a location of your choosing pic.twitter.com/oiTNtgPQog
— Tesla (@Tesla) September 23, 2024
Actually Smart Summon is also not available in Canada just yet, though the country is often the first to follow the U.S. regarding new Tesla features.
The news also comes as Tesla has been aiming to launch FSD Supervised in Europe, China, and other markets, and some have suggested that Actually Smart Summon’s launch in the former region could be a precursor to FSD. Tesla launched Actually Smart Summon in September as a part of an FSD Supervised update, though the two systems technically have separate coding, as Elon Musk explained in July.
-->Tesla seems to have taken important steps to launch FSD Supervised in Europe throughout much of this year, along with similarly important steps in China. However, last month, a former executive from the company pointed out that the United Nations (UN) had chosen to delay a regulation that could slow down the rollout of FSD in Europe.
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.
Tesla Actually Smart Summon handles busy Costco parking lot with ease
News
Tesla Europe rolls out FSD ride-alongs in the Netherlands’ holiday campaign
The festive event series comes amid Tesla’s ongoing push for regulatory approval of FSD across Europe.
Tesla Europe has announced that its “Future Holidays” campaign will feature Full Self-Driving (Supervised) ride-along experiences in the Netherlands.
The festive event series comes amid Tesla’s ongoing push for regulatory approval of FSD across Europe.
The Holiday program was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on X. “Come get in the spirit with us. Featuring Caraoke, FSD Supervised ride-along experiences, holiday light shows with our S3XY lineup & more,” the company wrote in its post on X.
Per the program’s official website, fun activities will include Caraoke sessions and light shows with the S3XY vehicle lineup. It appears that Optimus will also be making an appearance at the events. Tesla even noted that the humanoid robot will be in “full party spirit,” so things might indeed be quite fun.
“This season, we’re introducing you to the fun of the future. Register for our holiday events to meet our robots, see if you can spot the Bot to win prizes, and check out our selection of exclusive merchandise and limited-edition gifts. Discover Tesla activities near you and discover what makes the future so festive,” Tesla wrote on its official website.
-->This announcement aligns with Tesla’s accelerating FSD efforts in Europe, where supervised ride-alongs could help demonstrate the tech to regulators and customers. The Netherlands, with its urban traffic and progressive EV policies, could serve as an ideal and valuable testing ground for FSD.
Tesla is currently hard at work pushing for the rollout of FSD to several European countries. Tesla has received approval to operate 19 FSD test vehicles on Spain’s roads, though this number could increase as the program develops. As per the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), Tesla would be able to operate its FSD fleet on any national route across Spain. Recent job openings also hint at Tesla starting FSD tests in Austria. Apart from this, the company is also holding FSD demonstrations in Germany, France, and Italy.
News
Tesla sees sharp November rebound in China as Model Y demand surges
New data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shows a 9.95% year-on-year increase and a 40.98% jump month-over-month.
Tesla’s sales momentum in China strengthened in November, with wholesale volumes rising to 86,700 units, reversing a slowdown seen in October.
New data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shows a 9.95% year-on-year increase and a 40.98% jump month-over-month. This was partly driven by tightened delivery windows, targeted marketing, and buyers moving to secure vehicles before changes to national purchase tax incentives take effect.
Tesla’s November rebound coincided with a noticeable spike in Model Y interest across China. Delivery wait times extended multiple times over the month, jumping from an initial 2–5 weeks to estimated handovers in January and February 2026 for most five-seat variants. Only the six-seat Model Y L kept its 4–8 week estimated delivery timeframe.
The company amplified these delivery updates across its Chinese social media channels, urging buyers to lock in orders early to secure 2025 delivery slots and preserve eligibility for current purchase tax incentives, as noted in a CNEV Post report. Tesla also highlighted that new inventory-built Model Y units were available for customers seeking guaranteed handovers before December 31.
This combination of urgency marketing and genuine supply-demand pressure seemed to have helped boost November’s volumes, stabilizing what had been a year marked by several months of year-over-year declines.
-->For the January–November period, Tesla China recorded 754,561 wholesale units, an 8.30% decline compared to the same period last year. The company’s Shanghai Gigafactory continues to operate as both a domestic production base and a major global export hub, building the Model 3 and Model Y for markets across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, among other territories.
Tesla bear Michael Burry got blunt with his beliefs over the company’s valuation, which he called “ridiculously overvalued” in a newsletter to subscribers this past weekend.
“Tesla’s market capitalization is ridiculously overvalued today and has been for a good long time,” Burry, who was the inspiration for the movie The Big Short, and was portrayed by Christian Bale.
Burry went on to say, “As an aside, the Elon cult was all-in on electric cars until competition showed up, then all-in on autonomous driving until competition showed up, and now is all-in on robots — until competition shows up.”
Tesla bear Michael Burry ditches bet against $TSLA, says ‘media inflated’ the situation
For a long time, Burry has been skeptical of Tesla, its stock, and its CEO, Elon Musk, even placing a $530 million bet against shares several years ago. Eventually, Burry’s short position extended to other supporters of the company, including ARK Invest.
Tesla has long drawn skepticism from investors and more traditional analysts, who believe its valuation is overblown. However, the company is not traded as a traditional stock, something that other Wall Street firms have recognized.
While many believe the company has some serious pull as an automaker, an identity that helped it reach the valuation it has, Tesla has more than transformed into a robotics, AI, and self-driving play, pulling itself into the realm of some of the most recognizable stocks in tech.
Burry’s Scion Asset Management has put its money where its mouth is against Tesla stock on several occasions, but the firm has not yielded positive results, as shares have increased in value since 2020 by over 115 percent. The firm closed in May.
In 2020, it launched its short position, but by October 2021, it had ditched that position.
Tesla has had a tumultuous year on Wall Street, dipping significantly to around the $220 mark at one point. However, it rebounded significantly in September, climbing back up to the $400 region, as it currently trades at around $430.
It closed at $430.14 on Monday.
Tesla Europe rolls out FSD ride-alongs in the Netherlands’ holiday campaign
Tesla sees sharp November rebound in China as Model Y demand surges
