Approval of Tesla’s FSD Supervised (Full Self-Driving Supervised) system for use on European roads remains far from settled. After the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia and Lithuania gave the technology the green light, France has now joined the group of countries pushing back against its authorisation.
In a video statement, the French Transport Minister, Philippe Tabarot, said he had reservations about the system and argued that it should not be approved in its current form, citing safety grounds.
“In France we believe that, although this system brings a range of technological advances, the trade-offs in terms of safety are still not sufficient to justify authorisation in its current form,” the minister said.
France and Nordic concerns about Tesla FSD Supervised
France is not alone in its stance. Sweden’s Transport Administration (TRV) has also spoken out against the system, pointing to safety concerns-particularly the fact that it allows the driver to set a tolerance above the legal speed limit.
Other Nordic countries, including Finland and Norway, have voiced similar reservations, although without taking such a firm position.
European approval threshold and what happens next
It is worth remembering that, for the system to be approved at a European level, it needs a favourable vote from at least 15 of the 27 Member States, representing at least 65% of the European Union’s population.
Tesla’s chief executive, Elon Musk, responded on X, writing that “atrasar a aprovação do FSD em França vai custar vidas”.
Delaying the approval of FSD in France will cost lives
- Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 22, 2026
What is FSD Supervised?
FSD Supervised is an advanced Level 2 driver-assistance system. Despite the name “Full Self-Driving”, it is not a fully autonomous (Level 5) driving system: the driver remains responsible for the vehicle at all times and must be ready to take back control immediately.
To do this, the system uses the car’s external cameras and artificial intelligence to manage steering, braking and acceleration. It can operate in urban settings, handle junctions and carry out lane changes, while an interior camera continuously checks the driver’s attention. Find out what we thought of the system:
The Netherlands was the first country to type-approve this system, granting approval after more than 18 months of extensive testing, both on closed tracks and on public roads. If the system is ultimately rejected at EU level, the national approvals already granted will be revoked.
Portugal: a different option from FSD Supervised
In Portugal, Tesla models are still sold with the “Full Self-Driving Capability” option, which is different from FSD Supervised. It requires the driver to keep their hands on the steering wheel and is limited to functions such as assisted motorway navigation, automated parking and traffic-sign recognition.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Leave a Comment