Tesla sees approval close in the European Union, but regulators raise doubts

Tesla's chief executive, Elon Musk, said he expects the "Full Self-Driving" (FSD) system to be approved soon by the European Union. Despite the optimism, emails from European regulators indicate relevant doubts about the technology and its possible safety gains.
The "FSD (Supervised)" version was already approved in April by RDW, the Dutch traffic authority. Now, the body is trying to expand this authorization to the entire European Union, and the topic will be discussed at a committee hearing this Tuesday.
"We hope to be approved in many other countries," Musk told analysts in a conference call on April 22. He added that, subsequently, the company intends to seek authorization to operate autonomous robotaxis in Europe.
The approval is strategic for Tesla, which is trying to regain space in the European market after recent losses. The system is offered through a monthly subscription and allows the car to drive itself in some situations, although the driver needs to remain attentive at all times.
See the videos trending on g1:
Videos trending on g1
Still, internal messages obtained through public requests show that regulators from countries such as the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Norway have raised a series of concerns - and may play a decisive role in the analysis.
Among the points mentioned are the behavior of the system in accelerations, safety on icy roads and the possibility of drivers bypassing mechanisms created to avoid distractions, such as using a cell phone while driving.
Regulators also expressed discomfort with Tesla's strategy of encouraging customers to pressure authorities for approval of the system.
At this Tuesday's meeting, the European Union committee is expected to hear Dutch representatives about the reasons that led to local approval and whether the measure could be adopted by the other countries in the bloc.
Tesla did not comment on the matter.
For the system to be released across the entire European Union, the support of countries representing at least 55% of the member states and 65% of the bloc's population is necessary. There is no vote scheduled for this week, and new meetings are scheduled for July and October.
Tesla Cybertruck 2026
Disclosure

Source: G1