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Tesla FSD UK: Approval Expected No Earlier Than 2026

Source: Notanfsdtracker • Published on 03 June 2026 at 09:00 Original Source
Tesla FSD UK: Approval Expected No Earlier Than 2026

Summary

Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) is not yet available in the UK. Approval is not expected before 2026 due to the slower UK approval process compared to the Dutch RDW.

Current Status of FSD in UK

As of late May 2025, Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) is not yet activatable on UK roads, while it is being rolled out in the Netherlands and Lithuania. This article examines the global status, regulatory hurdles in the UK, and a comparison with the faster Dutch approach.

Global Rollout Status

Tesla currently offers FSD (Supervised) in the following countries: USA, Canada, Mexico, China, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Netherlands, and Lithuania. In these markets, enhanced navigation, automatic lane changes, and city street driving are unlocked, with the driver required to remain attentive at all times.

Regulatory Hurdles in the UK

In the UK, Tesla vehicles only support basic Autopilot and Enhanced Autopilot. FSD Supervised is not yet activated due to pending regulatory approval. Although Tesla has conducted demonstration drives in London and collects data from the UK fleet, the software remains behind approval.

The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 (Royal Assent in May 2024) provides the legal framework for fully autonomous vehicles in the UK. It sets high safety standards (at least as safe as a careful human driver) and shifts liability to the manufacturer once a vehicle operates in true autonomous mode.

[IMPORTANT] > However, Tesla's current FSD Supervised is classified as a Level 2 driver assistance system (ADAS). The driver remains fully responsible at all times. Therefore, it is regulated under the existing GB type approval process of the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) – using UN Regulation 171 (R171) for driver assistance systems. The same regulatory path used by the Dutch RDW.

Comparison: UK vs. Netherlands

CriteriaUK (VCA)Netherlands (RDW)
RegulationGB type approval + R171EU type approval + R171
SpeedSlower, more complex processFaster approval
FSD Supervised StatusNot yet approvedAlready approved
ApplicationExpectedSuccessfully completed

Timeline

Based on current information, approval of FSD Supervised in the UK is expected no earlier than 2026. The Automated Vehicles Act does not block approval, but the bureaucratic processes at the VCA are time-consuming.

Conclusion

Tesla still has a long way to go in the UK, while other European countries are already giving the green light. The focus is now on accelerating the approval process.

See also: How Estonia Approved Tesla's FSD So Quickly, Tesla FSD (Supervised): EU-Wide Approval Faces Resistance, and Tesla Tests FSD System in Left-Hand Traffic: London as Preparation for Europe.

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