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Tesla owners in the Netherlands will soon be able to use the company’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) feature under strict conditions, marking the first time a European country has approved the system, regulators said Friday.
The Dutch RDW vehicle authority said Tesla’s driver assistance system has been authorized for use in the country after more than a year and a half of testing on both public roads and closed tracks. Officials said the approval could eventually be expanded to other European Union member states, pending additional authorization. Drivers must remain in the vehicle at all times and continuously monitor the system while it is engaged.
The approval brings the Netherlands closer to the regulatory approach already seen in the United States, where Tesla owners are allowed to use the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system. The technology can handle steering, braking, navigation, and parking functions, but only under active human supervision, with the driver required to stay ready to take control immediately if needed.
“Safety is RDW’s top priority,” the agency said, adding that proper use of the system can contribute positively to road safety. Officials emphasized that despite its name, the feature does not make the vehicle fully autonomous. “A vehicle with FSD Supervised is not self-driving,” the agency said. “The driver remains responsible and must always maintain control.”
Tesla’s European division welcomed the decision, saying the rollout in the Netherlands will begin soon and could expand further across the region. Tesla CEO Elon Musk also reacted to the approval, thanking Dutch regulators and congratulating the company’s engineering team.
The approval still requires further authorization from the European Commission before it can carry broader EU-wide regulatory weight.
The move comes as Tesla faces increasing competition in Europe from Chinese automakers and shifting consumer sentiment in some markets, including the Netherlands, where sales have been under pressure in recent years.
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