Exclusive-Tesla faces EU skepticism over automated-driving tech, records show
Regulators in five countries questioned speed, icy-road safety and misleading branding as Tesla seeks EU-wide approval for FSD.
- On Tuesday, the Dutch RDW presents Tesla's "Full Self-Driving" approval to the European Union Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles, a critical step toward broader deployment despite rising skepticism from member states.
- Emails from Nordic regulators in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway reveal skepticism toward Tesla's technology and frustration with the company's lobbying tactics, which encourage owners to pressure officials for approval.
- Regulators raised concerns regarding FSD's safety on icy 80 km/h roads, its tendency to exceed speed limits, and whether "Full Self-Driving " branding misleads consumers into thinking vehicles drive themselves.
- No vote is scheduled today, as the Technical Committee awaits further documentation, making CEO Elon Musk's timeline for EU-wide availability by summer 2026 look increasingly uncertain.
- While Tesla claims 1.6 million kilometers of road data and 4,500 closed-track tests support its safety, the European system requires technical merit rather than the "trust us" approach Musk has promoted.
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According to Reuters, Elon Musk remains confident about a future European validation of Tesla's FSD — already tested in the Netherlands — despite strong reservations from several regulators about its safety, its name deemed misleading and the pressure exerted to speed up its approval.
Tesla’s FSD rollout in Europe runs into the regulator scepticism Musk has been projecting through
Reuters has published internal EU regulator correspondence showing sustained skepticism toward Tesla's FSD safety claims and rollout strategy, despite Dutch type approval in April.
Among the regulators' concerns are the system's tendency to exceed the speed limit, its safety on icy roads, and the ability of drivers to circumvent features that prevent the use of cell phones.
Tesla is facing skepticism in Europe over the approval of its “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) system, despite CEO Elon Musk’s optimism. The Dutch authority RDW has already approved the “FSD (Supervised)” version and has sought the green light at the European Union level. However, regulators in several Nordic countries have raised safety concerns, including speeding, operation on icy roads and the risk of misinterpretation by drivers. They have also qu…
After the Dutch authorities have agreed, Tesla now wants to offer its driving assistants FSD Europe-wide. However, other regulators express clear concerns.
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