Tesla FSD Europe Demo Extended Through March 2026 After ‘High Demand’

Tesla has extended its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) ride-along program in Europe by three months following what the company calls “high demand,” with free demos now available through March 31, 2026 across Germany, France, and Italy.

We’ve been tracking Tesla’s European FSD push closely, and this extension reveals the scale of Tesla’s regulatory charm offensive. The company isn’t just showing off technology – it’s building a grassroots lobbying campaign to pressure European regulators into approval.

Ivan Komušanac, Tesla’s EU Policy and Business Development Manager, announced the extension in a LinkedIn post shared on X by Tesla enthusiast Sawyer Merritt.

“We are currently offering ride-along experience in Germany, France, and Italy, as we are working towards an approval of FSD (supervised) in Europe,” Komušanac wrote. “This is a great feedback opportunity from the general public, which we encourage to record and share their experience.”

He added a teaser for those who missed December slots: “For those who did not manage to book a slot in December, stay tuned as we are wrapping some Christmas presents.”

Where You Can Experience Tesla FSD in Europe

The extended program runs from December 1, 2025 through March 31, 2026. Tesla employees drive while participants experience FSD from the passenger seat.

Komušanac highlighted FSD’s ability to handle European driving conditions: “In this video, the system handled an edge case smoothly and patiently, without any intervention by the driver. FSD (supervised) is capable of recognising hand gestures or flashing headlights as seen in the video – plenty of new examples are coming soon.”

Rome’s Mayor Tests FSD as Tesla Courts Italian Officials

The timing of this extension coincides with Tesla’s political engagement across Europe. On December 3, 2025, Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Mobility Assessor Eugenio Patanè became the first Italian officials to test FSD in person on Roman streets.

Tesla investor Andrea Stroppa shared details of the demo on X, noting the Model 3 navigated complex intersections, roundabouts, pedestrian crossings, and mixed traffic including cars, bikes, and scooters.

The company has logged over 1 million kilometers (621,000 miles) of internal FSD testing across 17 European countries, according to Tesla’s official communications.

The February 2026 Regulatory Question

Tesla is targeting February 2026 for a critical demonstration with the Dutch vehicle authority RDW, which could unlock EU-wide approval through mutual recognition rules.

However, as we reported last week, RDW pushed back on Tesla’s characterization of this timeline. The Dutch regulator clarified it has only committed to a demonstration in February, not an approval.

RDW also took the unusual step of asking Tesla fans to stop calling: “We thank everyone who has already done so, but would like to urge people not to contact us about this matter. It takes up unnecessary time for our customer service.”

The regulator emphasized that “road safety remains the RDW’s top priority: approval is only possible once the safety of the system has been convincingly demonstrated.”

Mercedes Already Has Level 3 Approval in Germany

Here’s the context missing from most FSD coverage: Mercedes-Benz already has Level 3 autonomous driving approval in Germany.

In December 2024, the German Federal Motor Transport Authority approved Mercedes’ DRIVE PILOT system for speeds up to 95 km/h (59 mph) on all 13,191 kilometers of German autobahn. When DRIVE PILOT is active, drivers can legally watch television, stream movies, or process emails.

Tesla’s FSD (Supervised) remains SAE Level 2. Despite the name “Full Self-Driving,” the driver must remain attentive and keep hands on the wheel at all times. The driver bears full legal responsibility.

EVXL’s Take

Tesla’s three-month extension of its European FSD demo program isn’t about “high demand” for free rides. It’s about buying time and building political momentum before the critical February 2026 regulatory demonstration.

We’ve been documenting this pattern all year. When the Dutch regulator denied Tesla’s approval claim last week, RDW made clear that safety evidence, not public pressure campaigns, will determine FSD’s fate. Yet here we are, watching Tesla coordinate demos for Rome’s mayor while simultaneously asking fans to flood regulatory phone lines.

The timing is no coincidence. Tesla’s European sales have collapsed 48.5% while the broader EV market grew 26%. CEO Elon Musk himself blamed Europe’s strict autonomous driving regulations for weak Model Y sales, telling analysts that European customers don’t get “the same experience that they have in the U.S.”

This mirrors Tesla’s coordinated holiday FSD push in the United States, where 1.5 million owners received free trials through January 8, 2026. The company is betting that mass exposure will convert skeptics into subscribers and pressure regulators simultaneously.

But there’s an uncomfortable reality Tesla’s marketing glosses over: Mercedes drivers in Germany can already watch Netflix behind the wheel legally. They’ve had Level 3 approval since 2022. Tesla is playing catch-up while calling it innovation.

En ongoing NHTSA investigation into 2.9 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD, following 58 reports of traffic safety violations including 14 crashes, should give European regulators pause. Tesla released its aggressive “Mad Max” driving mode one week after that investigation opened.

Will free rides convince Europeans that FSD is ready? Or will regulators see through the grassroots lobbying campaign? February 2026 will tell us a lot about whether Tesla’s strategy of public pressure works in markets with stricter safety standards than the U.S.

What do you think about Tesla’s European FSD push? Will free demos accelerate approval, or is this mostly marketing? Share your thoughts in the comments below.