EU Delays Tesla Full Self-Driving Vote to December Amid Regulatory Concerns

EU Vote on Tesla Full Self-Driving Pushed Back to December

The European Union won't vote on Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised) on October 6 as previously anticipated1

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. The draft agenda for the Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles meeting lists only a 25-minute "continuation of discussions" on the Dutch request to extend its regulatory approval EU-wide2

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. Since the committee doesn't convene again until December, that's now the earliest a Tesla Full Self-Driving EU vote can happen1

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Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles Agenda Shows Limited Progress

The European Commission's DG GROW published the draft agenda for the 119th TCMV meeting, dated September 111

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. Item 3 reads: "Continuation of discussions on request of the Netherlands for an Art. 39 authorisation," slotted from 11:45 to 12:10, right before lunch1

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. Tesla isn't named, and no vote is listed1

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. Article 39 of the EU type-approval regulation (2018/858) is the new technologies exemption path for systems that don't fit existing rules1

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Dutch Regulator RDW Seeks EU-Wide Approval

The Dutch regulator RDW used Article 39 to approve Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in the Netherlands in April, and it's now asking the Commission to turn that national authorization into an EU-wide approval1

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. So far, Denmark, Belgium, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Czechia have recognized the Dutch approval nationally1

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. With the Netherlands, that's seven countries accounting for roughly 53 million people, or about 12% of the EU population1

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Timeline for Tesla Full Self-Driving EU-Wide Approval Continues Slipping

On September 1, Tesla Europe posted on X that the AI-powered FSD system was approved in five EU countries, used by more than 70,000 customers, and that an EU-wide vote could happen on October 61

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. This marks another delay in EU vote timing. Last November, Tesla said it expected Dutch approval in February 2026, which the RDW denied at the time1

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. The target then moved to April 10, which Tesla did hit1

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. Musk then talked about EU-wide availability by summer 2026, but the TCMV discussed the file in June and didn't vote1

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Major Opposition from France, Sweden, and Other Key Member States

To pass, the Dutch request needs a qualified majority: 15 of the EU's 27 member states, representing at least 65% of the bloc's population1

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. The bigger problem for Tesla is that the objections raised this spring are still on the table1

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. Sweden told the EU to reject FSD unless Tesla removes the ability to set the system above the posted speed limits, and Nordic regulators also raised concerns about icy roads and driver attention1

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. France has refused to recognize the Dutch approval, citing speeding and driver attention in cities1

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Safety Data Complicates Path to EU-Wide Approval for FSD

The latest independent data doesn't help Tesla's case. This week, a Brussels pedestrian safety group found FSD sped in 55% of the 30 km/h segments it tested, in a country that already approved the system1

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. France is already opposed, though the transport minister reached out to Musk, and Germany, Italy, and Spain haven't recognized the Dutch approval1

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. Without at least some of those four, which together hold about 58% of the EU population, the 65% threshold is out of reach1

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. Watch whether Tesla addresses the speed limits concerns and whether AI policy alignment with the AI Act influences the December discussions.