Tesla CEO Elon Musk has projected that the European Union will soon approve its "Full Self-Driving" (FSD) system. However, emails obtained by Reuters from regulators in the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway reveal marked skepticism.
Dutch road regulator RDW approved FSD in April and is now seeking EU-wide approval. A key committee hearing is scheduled for this Tuesday. "We expect to be approved in a lot of other countries," Musk told analysts on April 22, adding that Tesla would then seek approval for driverless robotaxis in Europe.
Regulatory concerns include the system's tendency to speed, safety on icy roads, and drivers' ability to circumvent features designed to prevent cell-phone use. Hans Nordin, a Swedish Transport Agency investigator, wrote he was "quite surprised" Tesla allowed FSD to speed. Jukka Juhola of Finland's transportation agency questioned FSD demos in wintry conditions: "Are they really introducing a system that allows hands-free driving also on icy 80 km/h roads?"
Some regulators also questioned whether the "Full Self-Driving (Supervised)" branding could mislead drivers. Swedish investigator Nordin asked if the name "risks giving consumers a misleading impression" of FSD's capabilities.
For EU approval, committee members representing 55% of member states and 65% of the bloc's population must vote "yes." No vote is scheduled this week; the next meetings are expected in July and October.
Tesla has a lot riding on approval. The company charges a monthly subscription for FSD, which requires a fully attentive driver. European sales fell 27% in 2025 amid protests over Musk's political activities. Analysts at Cerity Partners say European FSD approval could boost profit and help fend off competition from Chinese automakers.
Tesla did not respond to requests for comment.