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| Driver-assistance technology is at the centre of Tesla’s European approval campaign |
Tesla Faces Scrutiny Over European Push for Full Self-Driving Approval
WELLINGTON — October 7, 2026
Tesla is stepping up pressure on European regulators to approve its “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) driver-assistance technology, arguing that delays prevent motorists from benefiting from potentially safer driving. However, traffic-safety researchers say the company’s evidence does not support its strongest claims about preventing crashes and saving lives.
The campaign has gained ground. The Netherlands has approved the system, and seven other European Union countries have granted national approvals, creating momentum for a wider EU decision. Regulators from the bloc’s 27 member states are expected to vote on whether the technology should receive broader approval.
Tesla has used direct discussions with regulators, safety studies and social media to promote its case. The company has also encouraged customers to contact officials and press for faster decisions. The effort has raised questions among experts about whether public pressure and close cooperation with manufacturers could weaken independent safety assessments.
Seven traffic-safety researchers who examined Tesla’s European research for Reuters said the company’s evidence could not establish that FSD prevents fatal crashes. Its study compared vehicles driven using the system by Tesla’s professional engineering drivers with cars driven manually by ordinary owners. Researchers said the number of miles covered using FSD was too small to support a reliable comparison of crash rates.
Instead, Tesla measured driving behaviours such as horn use, signalling, hard braking, rapid acceleration and sharp turns as indirect indicators of safety. Researchers said some of these measures were weak indicators of crash risk, while others had limitations and were not firmly linked to actual collision rates. Tesla had not submitted the methodology for independent peer review, according to the report.
The researchers also questioned the use of professional drivers as a comparison group. These drivers may understand the system better and know when to intervene, making their experience different from that of ordinary motorists. Although Tesla markets the product as “Full Self-Driving (Supervised),” drivers must remain attentive and be ready to take control when necessary.
Tesla’s own research acknowledged that its comparisons could not establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship between FSD use and safety outcomes. Yet company social-media messages have presented the technology as capable of preventing road deaths. When French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot raised safety concerns in July, Elon Musk argued on X that delaying approval would cost lives.
Researchers said the available evidence did not justify that conclusion. Daniel McGehee, who directs the Driving Safety Research Institute at the University of Iowa, described Tesla’s European study as potentially useful for evaluating system performance but said it fell short of proving that the technology saves lives.
The dispute follows years of criticism over Tesla’s claims about automated driving. In the United States, the company has faced investigations and lawsuits involving crashes linked to its driver-assistance systems. Earlier Tesla safety research also drew criticism for comparing different types of crashes in ways that could make FSD appear safer than other driving.
Tesla has previously claimed that its system was many times safer than a typical human driver, later revising one such estimate. Researchers have also challenged company projections about the number of deaths and injuries that widespread use of the technology could prevent, arguing that the calculations relied on unrealistic assumptions.
The European approval effort is commercially important for Tesla. The company is competing against established European manufacturers and fast-growing Chinese electric-vehicle brands as it seeks to recover from declining sales in the region. Several competitors already offer advanced driver-assistance features in their home markets.
EU rules currently allow hands-free driving systems only on motorways. Tesla is seeking approval for a system that would permit hands-free operation on a wider range of roads, subject to the applicable requirements. A bloc-wide decision requires support from at least 55% of EU member states representing 65% of the region’s population.
The Dutch regulator, RDW, began reviewing Tesla’s system in 2024 and ultimately concluded that FSD could improve safety when used correctly. It recommended approval across the EU. However, correspondence obtained by Reuters shows that Tesla repeatedly challenged the cost, timing and methods of the Dutch assessment.
In one exchange, Tesla pressed the regulator to begin testing quickly, describing the milestone as important to the company’s leadership. The automaker later disputed a bill of €365,000 for testing permits, technical work and other services covering a five-month period. It requested a detailed breakdown of the costs and said it would withhold payment until it received one.
The correspondence also shows that RDW staff offered to consider reducing the effort required for parts of the review. In other exchanges, the regulator expressed a desire to work towards shared objectives with Tesla. Experts who examined the records questioned whether such concessions were appropriate for an authority responsible for independently assessing public safety.
RDW said it had conducted an extensive independent investigation, including tests on closed tracks and public roads under different conditions. It maintained that engagement with manufacturers was a normal part of its work and did not compromise the independence or thoroughness of its assessments. The regulator did not disclose details of how it measured safety performance.
Tesla did not respond to Reuters’ detailed questions about its research and dealings with European regulators. The correspondence contained substantial redactions, leaving gaps in the record of the Dutch review. Several other national regulators declined to comment, while officials in Lithuania and the Czech Republic said Tesla’s social-media claims had not influenced their assessments.
Musk has repeatedly urged European customers to lobby regulators. Tesla supporters have also sent messages to authorities in countries including Sweden and Norway, arguing that delaying approval could lead to unnecessary deaths. Norwegian road officials said regulators do not approve systems because they are popular, and warned that the name “Full Self-Driving” could give motorists an exaggerated impression of what the technology can do.
The debate has also shown signs of shifting in France. Tabarot, who had previously expressed concerns, described a later virtual meeting with Musk as constructive and said the two sides were working on changes that could allow France to support approval. The French transport ministry did not explain what had prompted the more positive tone.
The wider European decision will test how regulators balance the potential benefits of driver-assistance technology against the need for reliable evidence and independent oversight. For now, researchers say Tesla’s published findings may offer some information about system performance, but they do not establish that FSD prevents fatal crashes.
