Tesla began offering test drives of its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in several European cities on Friday, as it awaits regulatory approval of the software in Europe.
According to the company, those who sign up for the program can “ride along in the passenger seat to experience how it handles real-world traffic.”
The experience is available in Italy, France and Germany during December, with “more coming soon.”
The announcement came after Tesla began hiring Vehicle Operators in multiple European locations earlier this month, including Prague (Czech Republic), Budapest (Hungary), and the German cities of Prüm and Berlin.
Tesla has shared videos of its FSD testing in several major European cities, including Rome, Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris, and London, among others.
However, the system — already available in seven countries including North America, Asia and Oceania — still awaits regulatory approval in Europe.
Approval in the Netherlands
Last week, Tesla announced that, according to the Dutch national vehicle authority, the FSD would be approved in the Netherlands early next year.
“RDW has committed to granting Netherlands National approval in February 2026,” the company wrote on X.
However, a few days later, the RWD issued a statement contradicting the claim.
According to the regulator, approval is not granted — instead, what the two entities have agreed on is that they will meet in February so Tesla can demonstrate if the system’s capabilities meet the requirements.
They also asked Tesla drivers and enthusiasts to stop contacting the agency about the issue, after both the company and CEO Elon Musk had repeatedly urged customers in recent months to reach out to safety regulators across Europe.
FSD Expansion
Tesla‘s FSD is currently fully available for drivers in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.
Earlier this week, it was introduced in South Korea. However, the software is only available in Model S and Model X units with Hardware 4.
Musk revealed in the Annual Shareholder Meeting that regulators are leaning to “fully” approve it in China in the first quarter of 2026.
“We have partial approval,” he noted, adding that “hopefully, we’ll have full approval in China around February or March or so. That’s what they’ve told us.”
To encourage adoption of the software, the company has introduced a 30-day FSD trial in North America.
In the latest earnings call, Tesla revealed that, as of September, the total paid FSD customer base was around 12% of the fleet.
Tesla in Europe
Tesla has faced a challenging year in Europe, with sales plunging in several markets, including Germany and Sweden, even as other markets, like Norway, set record figures.
The weak results have been driven by rising competition in Europe, particularly from expanding Chinese EV manufacturers.
In addition to its updated lineup — the new Model Y earlier this year and, more recently, the refreshed Model X and Model S — Tesla has also launched its more affordable, Standard Model Y in Europe.
European production of the cheaper iteration began in early November.
However, even in its home market, demand appears slower than expected, with inventory units beginning to appear.
Investors noted that the price reduction was disappointing — only $5,000 — even though several key features were removed.
