Tesla has officially announced that Full Self-Driving (Supervised) is being rolled out in Belgium. This comes one day after Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder signed the approval. De Ridder announced the green light on Wednesday after Tesla completed local testing on public roads. Belgium thus becomes the fourth EU country after the Netherlands and Denmark to allow Tesla's technology on the road.
Another step for Tesla's autonomous future in Europe
The Belgian approval follows a successful test phase on public roads in Flanders. Tesla had previously received approval for FSD Supervised in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Norway (overview of Tesla FSD in Europe here). The Belgian approval is an important signal of regulatory trust in the system's safety.
Current status of EU approvals:
Unlike Tesla's promotional videos that occasionally show drivers with espresso at the wheel (see Tesla undermines its own legal defense: promotional videos show drivers with espresso at the wheel), Tesla officially emphasizes the need for constant driver attention.
Safety record in Europe positive so far
The decision for Belgium was facilitated by safety data Tesla submitted from the Netherlands. According to Tesla, FSD Supervised has driven accident-free over 16.6 million kilometers in Europe (see Tesla FSD: Zero accidents on 16.6 million kilometers in Europe). Minister De Ridder emphasized the importance of innovation in the transport sector during the approval: 'Belgium wants to be a pioneer for safe autonomous driving. We support technologies that help prevent accidents.'
What does this mean for drivers in Belgium?
From now on, Tesla owners in Belgium with a compatible vehicle (Model 3, Model Y) and activated FSD Supervised can use the function on suitable roads. Prerequisites are the latest software version and a valid subscription. The function includes:
- Autonomous highway driving: Lane changes, speed adjustment, exits
- City traffic: Traffic light assist, intersection handling
- Parking: Parking assistance and automatic parking
Outlook: Europe as a test bed for Level 4?
While Tesla is already moving toward Level 4 in the US (according to a Wall Street analyst: Wall Street analyst claims Tesla has achieved Level 4 autonomous driving), Europe remains regulatorily conservative. The UNECE regulation for lane keeping assist sets limits. However, with each additional national approval, pressure on the d