The European Union has delayed any bloc-wide decision on approving Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software, postponing a potential vote past early October. Meeting agendas from the European Commission’s Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles show that the driver-assistance system is absent from the formal voting schedule, dashing earlier expectations that a decision might occur on October 6.
The Regulatory Schedule and Committee Review
Instead of a formal vote, officials have allocated a 25-minute discussion window just before the lunch break during the committee’s session. Because the committee’s subsequent meeting is not scheduled until December, that month marks the earliest possible window for a formal vote to take place. The agenda also covers unrelated industry matters, including Euro 7 standards, heavy-duty vehicle emissions, and the alignment of automated driving regulations with the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act.
National Approvals Versus Bloc-Wide Thresholds
The regulatory discussion stems from a formal request by Dutch transport authorities. In April, the Netherlands invoked Article 39 of the EU’s type-approval regulation, a provision that allows temporary national exemptions for new technologies. After authorizing the technology domestically, the Netherlands sought to expand that exemption across all 27 European Union member states.
Adopting the system across the bloc requires a qualified majority vote: support from at least 15 member states representing a minimum of 65% of the total EU population. Although the Netherlands issued the initial national permit, only seven countries have recognized it locally: the Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic. These nations represent roughly 53 million residents, accounting for about 12% of the European Union’s population—far below the required legal threshold.
Major Member State Skepticism and Safety Concerns
Widespread adoption faces significant hurdles due to skepticism from the EU’s largest member states. Germany, France, Italy, and Spain—which collectively comprise approximately 58% of the bloc’s population—have not approved Tesla’s software. Regulators in Sweden previously urged the European Union to reject the system unless Tesla disables features allowing drivers to exceed local speed limits, while also raising doubts about the software’s performance on icy winter roads.
Independent research conducted in Brussels further complicates Tesla’s regulatory path. Pedestrian safety observers monitoring the software recorded instances where Full Self-Driving exceeded speed limits in 55% of observed cases within 30 km/h zones.