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Tesla Semi & Convoy Mode are a perfect fit for EU Commission’s updated mobility strategy

(Credit: teslasemi_ via Instagram)

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5 years ago

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The Tesla Semi and its Convoy Mode feature could gain a strong foothold in Europe now that the EU Commission has released its plans to promote sustainable and smart transportation options in the region. The EU Commission released its Sustainable and Smart Mobility strategy last week.

The strategy focused on three key factors, namely sustainability, smart mobility, and resilience. It included goals for the passenger car industry, but also prominently discussed making public transportation and heavy-duty vehicles carbon neutral.

Zero-Emission Lorries and the Tesla Semi

The EU Commission plans to have at least 30 million zero-emission cars and 80,000 carbon neutral lorries, or heavy duty trucks like the Tesla Semi, in operation by 2030. It will propose a revision in CO2 standards for cars and vans in Europe by June 2021 and review carbon standards for heavy-duty vehicles by 2022. 

The EU Commission’s plans for zero-emission lorries puts the Tesla Semi in an advantageous position. Besides being carbon neutral, the Tesla Semi also aligns with the EU Parliament’s truck manufacturing law. 

(Credit: European Federation for Transport and Environment)

Last year, the EU Parliament voted for a law that required heavy-duty vehicle manufacturers to produce more aerodynamic, energy efficient trucks. Regulations in the law depicted a truck with 80-90 cm cabs and bigger windshields for a better view of the road. The European Federation for Transport and Environment released an illustration of the EU Parliament’s ideal heavy-duty vehicle design and it was very similar to the Tesla Semi. 

Between the EU Commission and EU Parliament, it seems the game has been set for Tesla. The scales seems to tip more in favor for Tesla and the Semi when the Commission’s Smart Mobility plan comes into play.

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Tesla Semi’s Convoy Mode in Europe

As for Smart Mobility, the EU Commission wants to proactively create favorable conditions for the development of new technologies. The Commission even stated that it would provide “all necessary legislative tools for their [new technologies’] validation.”

Support for autonomous vehicles is specifically mentioned in the EU Commission’s strategy, giving the Tesla Semi yet another advantage in Europe’s heavy-duty vehicle industry. Tesla’s advanced driver-assist software, Full Self-Driving, has been laid with some restrictions in Europe, but that may change in the future. 

Tesla’s autonomous software development will definitely make it to the Semi and one feature in particular could be a gamer changer in the industry–Convoy Mode. Back in 2017, when Tesla unveiled the Semi, Elon Musk shared that the company’s Class 8 truck was already capable of Convoy Mode, which would allow multiple Semis to semi-autonomously draft in close proximity with each other. Since then, Tesla’s FSD and Autopilot software have gone through vast improvements, suggesting that Convoy Mode only improved as well. 

Trucking veteran Sean Chenault was impressed by the Semi’s feature set and was particularly taken by Convoy Mode. “Having autonomous vehicles, you don’t need to pay a driver, and you don’t need to worry about hours of services,” he said. The trucking industry has been struggling with a shortage of drivers lately due mostly to safety concerns. Features like Convoy Mode have been one possible solution to solving driver shortage.

The Tesla Semi’s place in the EU Future

Chenault said the Semi was “a good thing for the trucking industry as a whole.” And it may be good for the EU Commission’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility strategy, too, specifically when it pertains to lorries. 

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Tesla’s business as an all-electric car maker would definitely benefit for the EU Commission’s new strategy. Tesla has already been gaining some more ground in Europe over the years with the Tesla Model 3. Next year could be another big year for Tesla in Europe with Giga Berlin and the release of the Model Y in the region. With the Semi in the picture, Tesla could cement itself as a key player in the region’s transportation sector. 

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Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Tesla Model Y reclaims elusive sales title in competitive market

As more EVs have entered the market and some at better prices, Tesla’s Model Y has been put up against some very attractive options.

Published

7 hours ago

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October 25, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

The Tesla Model Y reclaimed an elusive sales title in one of the most competitive markets it is in, outpacing key rivals and formidable competitors to regain the crown it once was a shoe-in for.

As more EVs have entered the market and some at better prices, Tesla’s Model Y has been put up against some very attractive options.

This is especially prudent in Europe and China, where domestic car companies have been offering attractive and cheap EVs as Tesla alternatives.

However, in September, the Model Y was able to battle back and take over the top sales spot for EVs in Europe.

In September, it had 25,938 sales, and although it was an 8.6 percent decrease compared to the same month in 2024, it was enough to be labeled the best-selling car in the European market, Automotive News reported.

500-mile test proves why Tesla Model Y still humiliates rivals in Europe

There are four vehicles that have been atop the European EV sales rankings for any given month this year: the Renault Clio, which has three titles, the Dacia Sandero, which has won four monthly sales titles, and the Volkswagen T-Roc, which was the best-selling car in the market in August.

The Clio captured the number-two spot in September with 20,146 sales.

Despite a strong September showing for the Model Y, which was its first monthly sales crown of the year, the vehicle has not been a top-three EV in Europe this year. That is still led by the Sandero, Clio, and T-Roc.

Despite that, Tesla’s Model Y is still likely to be one of the best-selling vehicles in the world, if not the best, for the year.

In the United States, it has dominated EV sales charts and has been one of the most popular cars in the region. The same goes for China, where the Model Y has more competition than in Europe, but is so attractive because of its premium look and feel, as well as its tech offerings.

The Model Y has been the best-selling car globally for the past two years, outpacing widely popular gas and EV models from around the world.

Tesla also just finished up its best three-month sales period in its history, delivering just shy of half a million vehicles from July to September.

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Tesla dashcam video shows crazy plane crash avoidance maneuver

Published

8 hours ago

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October 25, 2025

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Credit: @davidbellow | X

A Tesla captured video of a crashing plane on an Oklahoma highway, as a shocking video shows a small aircraft coming across a local roadway, with various cars ducking to avoid it.

On October 23, an Oklahoma National Guard OA-1K Skyraider II turboprop plane crashed during a training mission after an engine failure. Both crew members escaped unharmed, but they were not the only ones at risk of injury.

A Tesla Dashcam video shared by a friend of the car’s owner shows the vehicle narrowly avoiding an impact with the plane, swerving left, then back onto its side of the road. It appears to be a serious miracle:

David Bellow, the person who posted the video of the Tesla avoiding the plane, claims it was Full Self-Driving that performed the maneuver, but it is not confirmed. This is what he said:

There are a few hints that suggest it could be Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite, but it is important to note that neither the company, the driver, nor the friend has confirmed this.

The first hint is the vehicle’s maneuver and subsequent reaction. The car suddenly swerves to the left, which any human would do, but how the vehicle continues to travel as if nothing had happened seems to solidify the idea that FSD could have been involved in avoiding the plane.

Nevertheless, this does not confirm that FSD was in control.

My Tesla did this on FSD (Supervised) v14.1 and the internet went crazy

Most people would likely have stopped in their tracks after avoiding an aircraft while driving.

However, this is not enough proof to definitively say FSD was responsible for the avoidance.

Additionally, the “Jump to Event” button is activated in the video, suggesting that FSD was in control. The vehicle gives this option when something major has occurred, including human intervention.

Regardless of whether the car was on FSD or was controlled manually, it is pretty crazy to have this piece of dashcam footage.

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Tesla Full Self-Driving got a minor feature that’s a massive improvement

“Brake Confirm for the Start Self-Driving button is now defaulted off. When disabled, Start Self-Driving will not require you to press and release the brake to confirm engagement.”

Published

8 hours ago

on

October 25, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite seems to get better with every single release. However, it is also making it more seamless and easier than ever to use for passenger travel, thanks to a recent feature that has flown under the radar.

Tesla started rolling out its v14 iteration of the Full Self-Driving suite a few weeks ago to Early Access Program (EAP) members, and it finally started making its way to the public for the first time earlier this week.

Tesla Full Self-Driving v14.1 first impressions: Robotaxi-like features arrive

The wide rollout of Tesla v14.1.3 was long-awaited, as its capabilities were flexed by the handful of people lucky to have it. However, those sitting with v13.2.9 were still eager to get to their hands on the new FSD version, especially considering it came with a lot of cool upgrades.

One of which is flying under the radar and not getting as much attention as it should. Although it is a minor feature change from v13, Tesla has made FSD more seamless than ever with a simple fix that it started utilizing with v14.

With v14.1.1, Tesla started rolling out the removal of the “Brake Confirm” feature, which required drivers to touch the brake to activate Full Self-Driving. This is now an optional feature, as it now is defaulted to the off position by the car.

The release notes for the feature state:

“Brake Confirm for the Start Self-Driving button is now defaulted off. When disabled, Start Self-Driving will not require you to press and release the brake to confirm engagement.

You can enable Brake Confirm in Autopilot > Brake Confirm.”

Simply put, you no longer need to touch the brake to confirm your intention to use Full Self-Driving, which is a small but very effective fix.

It makes your car much more active in terms of overall activation, and it is definitely a quicker and more streamlined departure from your current location than ever before.

Here’s a good look at how quick it is:

@teslarati With Tesla Full Self-Driving v14, there is no delay when you start FSD. Press “Start Self-Driving” and you’re on your way #fyp #viral #tesla #teslafsd #fsdv14 ♬ original sound – TESLARATI

The feature is small, but it is very noticeable with your first uses of FSD v14. Eventually, it will become even more streamlined as Tesla solves self-driving and autonomy, as it will require zero human intervention to get started, which means the “Start Self-Driving” button will also be removed.

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