Czechia opens the door to Tesla FSD
Tesla may now offer FSD (Supervised) in Czechia as well. The country has recognized the provisional approval issued by the Dutch transport authority, expanding the European operating area for the driver-assistance system.
Before making its decision, the Czech Ministry of Transport said it reviewed the technical documentation, operating conditions and European approval process. Discussions were also held with Tesla and at the European level.
Tesla FSD (Supervised) is approved in Czechia but legally remains a supervised SAE Level 2 driver-assistance system.
Why the Dutch approval is crucial
The approval from the Netherlands is not a regular EU type approval. It is based on Article 39 of EU Regulation 2018/858, which covers new technologies that are not yet fully addressed by the existing regulatory framework.
Other member states may recognize such provisional approval within their own territory. It therefore does not automatically apply throughout the European Union. Czechia has now made use of this option.
FSD is provisionally permitted in these seven EU countries
| Country | Status since |
|---|---|
| Netherlands | April 2026, original approval |
| Lithuania | May 20, 2026 |
| Estonia | May 29, 2026 |
| Denmark | June 9, 2026 |
| Belgium | June 10, 2026 |
| Slovenia | September 7, 2026 |
| Czechia | September 21, 2026 |
EU-wide vote could follow soon
The next major step could be a vote in the Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles. A vote could take place as early as October 6, 2026. A qualified majority would require the support of at least 15 of the EU’s 27 member states, together representing at least 65% of the EU population.
Approval would significantly simplify the current regulatory patchwork. Until then, whether the system is permitted will continue to depend on each individual member state. Germany and Austria are not currently among the countries that have recognized the provisional approval.
Switzerland is not an EU member and therefore requires its own regulatory process. Anyone crossing borders in a Tesla should consequently not assume that all assistance features will be available under the same conditions in a neighboring country.
FSD remains a supervised assistance system
The name Full Self-Driving may suggest more autonomy than the system legally provides. FSD (Supervised) is classified as an SAE Level 2 driver-assistance system. The person behind the wheel remains responsible, must monitor traffic and must be able to intervene at any time.
The system can handle many driving tasks along a route, including turning, changing lanes and responding to traffic situations. However, fully autonomous driving without continuous attention is not permitted. In practical terms, supervised means: the vehicle steers and accelerates → the driver remains responsible.
Which vehicles and hardware versions are included in the European rollout will depend on Tesla’s specific activation requirements. The issue is likely to be particularly relevant to Europe’s large fleet of Tesla Model Y vehicles. Our assessment of Tesla FSD v15 and HW4 shows which technical developments Tesla is promising in parallel.
Tesla’s safety data needs context
Tesla provides policymakers with an online dashboard containing mileage and accident figures. Such data can help assess the system’s performance across a large vehicle fleet. However, it is no substitute for independent evaluation, as methodology, comparison groups and operating conditions are crucial to interpreting the results.
The approval in Czechia is nevertheless an important regulatory advance for Tesla. It shows that more EU countries are prepared to permit the controlled use of advanced assistance systems without prematurely equating FSD with fully autonomous driving.
