Tesla names new date for FSD approval in Europe

Tesla owners waiting for Full Self Driving (FSD) have been very patient: for years, the US carmaker Tesla owned by Elon Musk has been selling a corresponding software option for its new vehicles without it being approved in the European Union. It is a promise for the future, for which there was hope for the first time at the end of 2025 that it would be fulfilled. Now the company has once again named a date on which FSD could be approved: April 10 could be the day in the Netherlands, Tesla Europe announced on X. And the responsible authority confirms this: the approval process is in its final phase.

However, this only means that nothing will happen regarding FSD Supervised (supervised autonomous driving) before April. Last year, Tesla owners had already hoped for the end of February 2026, when the car manufacturer published corresponding announcements online. Car owners should already thank the Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer, or RDW for short, as the responsible approval authority in the Netherlands, Tesla asked. In retrospect, it is clear: the company apparently only wanted to build up some pressure to receive a positive decision quickly. The RDW emphatically denied this: Tesla should first prove by February 2026 that it even meets the requirements.

Already the third date

In the end, the authority was right. Tesla soon brought March 20 as the FSD approval date into discussion. The company has now pushed the date to April. Recommendations to thank the RDW are no longer being made.

But this time, there seems to be real movement in FSD approval. The RDW confirmed in a statement that the approval process is nearing completion. Normally, they do not comment on ongoing proceedings, but the high level of interest justifies an exception here. The RDW does not give a specific date, of course. Tesla previously stated that all required documents have been submitted and the final test phase has been completed.

Tesla is aiming for approval according to UN Regulation R-171 plus exemptions under Article 39. UN R-171 is a UN regulation on so-called Driver Control Assistance Systems (DCAS). It defines systems that permanently assist the driver in the longitudinal and lateral guidance of the vehicle without taking over the entire vehicle control. Thus, FSD Supervised corresponds to SAE automation level 2 for partially automated driving. The driver remains responsible and must permanently monitor the vehicle and the system in order to intervene if necessary.

Article 39, meanwhile, allows EU member states to grant exemptions for technologies that are not yet fully covered by harmonized standards, provided the manufacturer can demonstrate their safety. Tesla needs these for operating Level 2 functions outside of highways. In the USA, the company is currently fighting in court against allegations of false advertising regarding Autopilot and FSD or system-initiated lane changes without hands on the wheel.

1.6 million kilometers of test drives

As part of the 18-month approval process, Tesla has carried out over 1.6 million kilometers of FSD test drives on European roads, completed over 4500 test scenarios on the test track, and created thousands of pages of documentation for over 400 compliance requirements, as stated in Tesla's announcement on X. In addition, there are dozens of safety studies. The company also offered test drives for interested parties in various branches in Europe, where they could experience FSD Supervised in action as co-drivers or passengers. Such test drives with AI-based assistance systems clearly show the current boundaries between assisted and fully autonomous driving. In each case, a Tesla employee was at the wheel. There were 13,000 such customer drives, Tesla writes.

For European Tesla owners, the intended type approval for AI-powered driver assistance systems would be a big step. After approval in the Netherlands, other EU countries could adopt it. Tesla is counting on this and hopes that EU-wide permission will be available in the course of the summer. For now, however, Tesla owners hope that the approval on April 10 will actually happen and that Tesla has not just heard what it wanted to hear. The RDW announcement is a new glimmer of hope here.

(mki)