Tesla is finally getting its chance to prove Full Self-Driving works on European roads. But the safety concerns that kept regulators cautious haven’t gone anywhere.

The Dutch vehicle authority RDW will begin supervised testing of Tesla’s FSD system in February 2026, according to Reuters. This comes after months of back-and-forth between Tesla and European regulators, including a public dispute in November when RDW denied Tesla’s claim that approval had been “committed.”

Let me be clear about what this means: testing is not approval. European Tesla owners who paid $12,000 or more for FSD years ago are still waiting to actually use it.

The Safety Gaps Nobody Is Talking About

Here’s what jumped out at me from the coverage: FSD still can’t reliably detect motorcyclists. This isn’t speculation. It’s a documented issue that Tesla’s own systems have struggled with for years.

In Europe, where motorcycles and scooters share roads with cars far more frequently than in the US, this isn’t a minor edge case. It’s a fundamental safety question that regulators are right to scrutinize.

The RDW responded to Tesla’s pressure campaign with a statement emphasizing that “safety, not speed, remains the priority” and that European approval “requires far more than software confidence or U.S. precedent.”

That caution feels appropriate given what we know about FSD’s track record. In October 2025, NHTSA opened an investigation into 2.9 million Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD following 58 reports of traffic safety violations, including 14 crashes.

What European Tesla Owners Need to Know

If you purchased FSD in Europe hoping to use it soon, here’s the reality:

Testing begins in February 2026 under controlled conditions with RDW supervision
Approval timeline remains uncertain and depends on Tesla demonstrating safety compliance
Even if approved in the Netherlands, other EU countries may conduct additional reviews
FSD in Europe will likely launch as “supervised,” requiring hands on the wheel

For prospective buyers considering whether to pay for FSD on a new Tesla: I wouldn’t factor European FSD availability into your purchase decision right now. The timeline is too uncertain, and you’re essentially paying for a feature you may not be able to use for months or years.

The Gap Between Marketing and Reality

There’s an uncomfortable truth baked into this story that European regulators keep pointing out: Full Self-Driving isn’t actually full self-driving.

Tesla’s own documentation requires active driver supervision. Hands ready, eyes forward. Yet the branding, the marketing, and the way Musk discusses the system publicly often suggest a level of autonomy that doesn’t exist yet.

European regulators have taken a slower, more methodical approach to autonomous vehicle certification. UNECE rules, national transport authorities, and layered approval processes exist specifically to prevent the “move fast and fix it later” approach that tech companies favor.

When you’re talking about two-ton vehicles operating in mixed traffic with pedestrians, cyclists, and yes, motorcyclists, caution stops being bureaucracy and starts looking like responsibility.

EVXL’s Take

We’ve been tracking Tesla’s European FSD push all year, and the pattern is consistent: bold claims followed by regulatory reality checks.

In November, Tesla told fans to flood RDW with thank-you messages for an “approval commitment” that didn’t exist. The regulator publicly denied it and asked people to stop calling. Now we’re one month from the February demonstration date, and the same fundamental safety questions remain unanswered.

The timing of Tesla’s European push isn’t coincidental. The company’s European sales have collapsed while the broader EV market grew. Musk himself blamed strict autonomous driving regulations for weak Model Y performance, telling analysts that European customers don’t get “the same experience that they have in the U.S.”

Here’s my prediction: February 2026 testing will proceed, but approval won’t come quickly. The motorcyclist detection issue alone gives regulators legitimate grounds to require additional validation. And given the ongoing NHTSA investigation in the US, European authorities have every reason to wait and see how that resolves before rushing to approve.

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.

If FSD is truly ready, it should survive scrutiny. If it isn’t, no amount of customer pressure campaigns should make us pretend otherwise.

Did you pay for FSD in Europe? Are you still waiting to use it? Let us know in the comments.