Tesla faces EU scrutiny over full self-driving approval after Dutch regulators give green light

Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) system was expected to receive a green light, as highlighted by CEO Elon Musk in the recent past. However, a series of emails from European regulators suggest otherwise.

The FSD technology received approval from the Dutch road regulator, RDW, in April and is now seeking wider approval from the EU, with a key committee hearing scheduled for Tuesday.

Amid the ongoing approval process, Reuters revealed email correspondence between regulators in the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway, which raised several concerns about the technology. The correspondence highlights issues such as the system’s tendency to speed, its safety on icy roads, and how drivers would be able to manage such risks. The emails also express concern over Tesla’s strategy of publicly encouraging vehicle owners to pressure regulators to approve FSD.

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The EU committee is also set to hear from Dutch officials on Tuesday regarding why they approved Tesla’s FSD system and whether other EU member states should follow suit.

The emails further reveal that Tesla policy managers lobbied Swedish authorities to approve FSD just four days after the Netherlands announced its decision on April 10—before regulators had reviewed any detailed documentation on the technology. Tesla also approached Estonia and Finland, asking them to recognize the Dutch approval.

Swedish Transport Agency Raises Concerns

The report highlights that Hans Nordin, an investigator at the Swedish Transport Agency, was surprised to learn that FSD allowed vehicles to exceed speed limits. He noted in the email exchange that such behavior should not be permitted.

Other investigators have also expressed concerns about the system’s performance in icy conditions. This critical examination by regulators comes even as some enthusiasts continue to push for its approval. In the past, during an annual shareholder meeting, Musk stated, “We obviously need to get it approved in Europe,” and encouraged customers to pressure regulators.

This is not the first time Musk has been involved in a legal dispute with the EU. Last year, in January, the tech magnate sued the bloc over duties on China-made electric vehicles after joining forces with three Chinese carmakers. The case sought the annulment of regulations imposing those duties.

Despite undergoing detailed scrutiny by European Commission investigators—including site inspections—and receiving the lowest duty rate of 8%, Tesla has filed a complaint at the EU court in Luxembourg. In contrast, SAIC Motor, a partner of Volkswagen, faces a significantly higher duty of 35%.