The UNECE, which sets Europe’s and many other markets’ autonomous driving regulations, has begun reviewing a proposal from manufacturers and supplier groups to increase the RCP (Remote Control Parking) range in UN Regulation No. 79. This R79 regulation directly affects Tesla’s Actually Smart Summon feature.
Europe’s 6-meter Cap
Actually Smart Summon was first introduced in Europe with the 2024.44.3 update, but due to UNECE R79, this feature has been limited to a 6-meter (~19.5 feet) range, while in North America a distance of more than 10 times is allowed. This means that owners in Europe have to stand practically next to the vehicle to use the feature, making it useless in most situations.
What the Proposal Would Change
This new proposed amendment to R79 suggests increasing the current 6-meter RCP range limit to 10 meters (~33 feet) for general use and up to a maximum of 15 meters in scenarios where there is a direct line of sight between the remote-control device and the vehicle.
The justification for this proposal is that a longer range could actually improve safety, since the user would have a better view of the vehicle.
Being closer than 6 meters to the vehicle can not only impair visibility, but it also puts the user much closer to a moving vehicle in the middle of a parking lot.
Still Only a Draft
The amendment is still under review and has not yet been approved. If approved, Tesla could send an OTA update to almost triple the distance allowed during Actually Smart Summon use.
North America
There is no regulation governing the RCP range in North America. This allows Tesla to offer a range of about 65 meters (~213 feet) for the same feature in that region. Even if Europe increases this limit to 15 meters under the new regulation, the range will remain noticeably lower than in North America.
Written by Ammar Yasir Bayır.
