Tesla’s claim of an imminent regulatory victory in Europe has been swiftly contested by the Dutch regulator at the center of the negotiations. The company had announced on social media that the Netherlands’ vehicle authority, RDW (Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer), was “committed to granting Netherlands National approval” for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised system by February 2026.
This announcement was seen by many as a critical breakthrough for Tesla, as national approval in the Netherlands is often a necessary first step toward gaining acceptance for the driver assistance system across the entire European Union. The company even urged its followers to contact the RDW to express excitement and gratitude.
However, the RDW quickly issued a clarifying statement on its website, effectively refuting Tesla’s claim of a guarantee. The regulator indicated that the February 2026 date is not an approval deadline, but rather the timeline set for Tesla to demonstrate that FSD Supervised meets all required safety and compliance standards.
The RDW’s statement stressed the conditional nature of the process, saying: “Whether the schedule will be met remains to be seen in the coming period. For the RDW, (traffic) safety is paramount.” This language suggests the final authorization is not assured and will be dependent solely on Tesla’s ability to prove the technology’s safety under rigorous testing.
The FSD Supervised system, which costs an additional $8,000 in existing markets, provides advanced automated driving features beyond the standard Autopilot, including automatic steering and lane changes on highways and city streets. It is crucial to note that FSD is explicitly a Level 2 driver assistance system and requires the driver to remain fully engaged with their hands on the wheel at all times.
Tesla has been working to navigate Europe’s restrictive and often “outdated” regulations for over a year, attempting to gain exemptions rule-by-rule for FSD behaviors. The company views the RDW’s national exemption process as the most viable pathway to an eventual EU-wide rollout. The Dutch regulator, however, has also asked the public to stop contacting them regarding the application, clarifying that public enthusiasm will not influence the final safety decision.
FSD Supervised is currently available to consumers in several international markets, including the United States, Canada, China, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Australia, and New Zealand.
Sources:
- InsideEVs: https://insideevs.com/news/779890/tesla-fsd-europe-approval-2026-netherlands/
- Electrek: https://electrek.co/2025/11/24/tesla-announces-fsd-approval-europe-february-2026/
- Teslarati: https://www.teslarati.com/dutch-regulator-rdw-confirms-tesla-fsd-february-2026-target/
- TheStreet: https://www.thestreet.com/automotive/tesla-gets-an-answer-for-its-fsd-ambitions-in-europe
- Dataconomy: https://dataconomy.com/2025/11/25/teslas-european-fsd-timeline-faces-regulatory-reality-check/