Full Self-Driving is getting closer to European roads, but the path remains complicated. Tesla is pursuing regulatory approval through the Netherlands while running public demonstrations across three countries.
The RDW Gateway
Tesla has been working with the Dutch RDW — the Netherlands' vehicle authority — for over 12 months. The regulator has drawn up a testing schedule with Tesla, targeting February 2026 for a demonstration that FSD Supervised meets European requirements.
The strategy is deliberate. Once the RDW grants a national exemption, other EU member states can recognise that approval, followed by an official EU-wide vote through the TCMV (Technical Committee for Motor Vehicles). The Netherlands effectively serves as the gateway to the entire European market.
What Stands in the Way
European type-approval requires compliance with UN-R-171 standards for driver-assist systems. FSD's more advanced behaviours — hands-off lane changes, operation on unmapped roads — do not fit neatly into existing regulations. Tesla must file Article 39 exemptions for these capabilities.
Tesla has been blunt about the challenge. According to its safety documentation, "some of these regulations are outdated" and making FSD fully compliant "would make it unsafe" in certain scenarios. That framing may not win regulators over, but it accurately describes the gap between what the technology does and what current rules anticipate.
Ride-Along Demos Across Europe
While the regulatory process moves forward, Tesla is letting Europeans experience FSD firsthand. The company's ride-along program, managed by EU Policy and Business Development Manager Ivan Komusanac, runs in Germany (Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Cologne), France, and Italy.
Originally set to end in late 2025, the program was extended through 31 March 2026 due to strong demand. Cities like Cologne and Dusseldorf were fully booked, with social media users requesting expansion to Switzerland and Finland.
The demonstrations serve a dual purpose: generating public enthusiasm and collecting feedback data that Tesla can present to regulators.
Testing at Scale
Tesla reports having completed more than one million kilometres of internal FSD testing across 17 EU countries. That dataset, combined with the company's latest Safety Report, forms part of the evidence package submitted to the RDW.
What to Expect
If the February RDW demonstration succeeds, the first European FSD deployments could follow within months. If it does not — and regulatory timelines in Europe have a habit of slipping — Tesla will continue building its case through ride-alongs and accumulated test data. Either way, 2026 looks like the year FSD finally crosses the Atlantic.