Tesla’s driver‑assistance system, which manages most highway and city‑street driving tasks under human supervision, received formal approval from the Netherlands’ Rijksdienst voor het Wegverkeer (RDW) on April 10 2026. The decision marks the first time the technology has been cleared for use in any European country, giving Tesla a regulatory foothold that could pave the way for future unsupervised deployments across the continent.
The approved system is classified as a Level 2 automation under the UN R‑171 Driver Control Assistance Systems (DCAS) framework and benefits from Article 39 exemptions. RDW emphasized that the vehicle remains a driver‑assistance system, not a fully autonomous car, and that the driver must retain legal responsibility and be ready to intervene at all times.
Tesla completed an extensive validation program before the approval, driving more than 1.6 million kilometres on EU roads and conducting over 13,000 customer ride‑along sessions during an 18‑month period. The data satisfied RDW’s safety and performance requirements and demonstrated the system’s reliability in a wide range of European driving conditions.
The approval expands Tesla’s supervised Full‑Self‑Driving (FSD) offering beyond the United States, potentially boosting sales in Europe and strengthening the company’s high‑margin software revenue stream. Analysts view the milestone as a key step toward autonomous ride‑hailing services and a signal that Tesla is gaining traction with European regulators, which could accelerate the rollout of similar systems in other member states.
After the announcement, Tesla’s shares rose about 0.7 % in aftermarket trading on April 10 2026, reflecting investor enthusiasm for the regulatory win. Analysts noted that the approval could pressure other EU regulators to follow suit, further expanding Tesla’s market reach.
Elon Musk congratulated the team on X, saying, “Congratulations to the Tesla team and thank you to the regulatory authorities in the Netherlands for all the hard work required to make this happen.” Tesla Europe added, “FSD Supervised has been approved in the Netherlands & will begin rolling out in the country shortly! No other vehicle can do this. We’re excited to bring FSD Supervised to more European countries soon.” RDW officials stated, “Proper use of this driver assistance system makes a positive contribution to road safety,” and reiterated that “a vehicle with FSD Supervised is not self‑driving; it is a driver assistance system, and the driver remains responsible and must always maintain control.”
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