Tesla's recent announcement regarding the imminent European approval of its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software by Dutch regulator RDW appears to have been premature. The regulator quickly clarified that no such approval has been granted, casting doubt on Tesla's timeline for a wider rollout across Europe.
In a social media post over the weekend, Tesla Europe stated that the RDW, the Dutch vehicle licensing and registration authority, had "committed to granting Netherlands National approval in February 2026" for FSD. The company even encouraged users to contact the RDW via a provided link to "express your excitement & thank them for making this happen as soon as possible." This approval was seen as a crucial step for Tesla to eventually introduce its advanced driver assistance system to consumers throughout Europe.
However, the RDW quickly issued a statement on its website, contradicting Tesla's claim. The Dutch regulator clarified that while Tesla plans to demonstrate its FSD Supervised system in February (presumably 2026), this is not an approval. Bloomberg was first to report on the RDW's counter-statement.
“RDW and Tesla know what efforts need to be made to make a decision on this in February. Whether the schedule will be met remains to be seen in the coming period. For the RDW, (traffic) safety is paramount,” the statement reads.
It's important to note that despite its name, Tesla's FSD Supervised system is not fully autonomous. It's an advanced driver assistance system that requires the driver to remain attentive and keep their hands on the wheel at all times. Available as an $8,000 upgrade over the standard Autopilot system, FSD Supervised offers enhanced automated driving features like steering and lane changes on both highways and city streets. Currently, FSD is available in several markets outside the EU, including Australia, Canada, China, Mexico, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, and the United States.
