Tesla FSD Certified in Netherlands, Launches in Europe with Differences from U.S. Version

On April 10, 2026, the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW) granted Tesla the first European type approval for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) driver-assistance system (Supervised version), making the Netherlands the first country on the European continent to authorize public road use of this semi-autonomous driving system by consumers. The certification process took 18 months, during which the system accumulated over 1.6 million kilometers of driving on EU roads, completed 13,000 user ride-along experiences, and submitted documentation addressing more than 400 compliance requirements. Since early 2026, Tesla has conducted public test drives in cities including Amsterdam and Eindhoven, allowing passengers to experience the system’s real-world performance on European streets. According to information confirmed by regulators and Tesla, the European version of FSD differs from the U.S. version in both software and functionality and is not directly equivalent feature-for-feature. Tesla plans to leverage this Dutch certification to launch its FSD subscription service across Europe. The company expects the approval to be extended to other EU member states—including Germany and France—via the EU’s mutual recognition mechanism by summer 2026, eliminating the need for individual countries to repeat the 18-month review process. This timeline represents Tesla’s internal projection and has not yet been confirmed by regulators. This move also aligns with Tesla’s broader strategy to expand its global base of FSD subscribers. Under CEO Elon Musk’s compensation plan approved by shareholders in 2025, he must achieve a milestone of 10 million active FSD subscribers to receive corresponding stock awards. As of Q4 2025, Tesla reported that its FSD subscriber count had surpassed 1 million.