Tesla FSD (Supervised) now also allowed in the Czech Republic
Czechia joins another EU country in recognizing the provisional approval for FSD (Supervised) from the Netherlands. This allows Tesla’s driver assistance system to be used in seven European Union member states now, with a vote on a pan-EU approval upcoming soon.
Image: Tesla
Tesla received approval for its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system, or FSD (Supervised), in Europe for the first time in April from the Dutch transportation authority RDW. However, this is not a regular EU type approval but rather a provisional EU type approval under Article 39 of EU Regulation 2018/858. This article is intended for new technologies or technical concepts that are not fully covered by existing EU regulations.
Other EU member states have since had the option to recognize this provisional approval for Tesla FSD within their territories. That is exactly what Czechia has now done. Previously, the Czech Ministry of Transport had thoroughly examined the system’s functionality and the conditions for its approval in the European Union over the past few months, held discussions at the European level as well as with Tesla representatives, and reviewed the technical and operational documents submitted as part of the European approval process to assess their relevance for decision-making in the Czech Republic.
Tesla FSD aims to make Czechia a pioneer
Czech Republic is among Europe’s leaders in autonomous driving technology. We aim to create the conditions for its development and gradual introduction while ensuring appropriate safety standards and corresponding regulatory oversight, said Czech Transport Minister Ivan Bednárik regarding the approval of Tesla FSD (Supervised).
Czechia is thus following the example of five other EU countries that have already recognized the Dutch authorization: Lithuania was the first other EU country to recognize this authorization on May 20, followed by Estonia on May 29, Denmark on June 9, and Belgium on June 10. After a pause of just under three months, Slovenia joined on September 7; it became the sixth EU member state alongside the Netherlands to recognize the Dutch authorization. Czechia followed on September 21, becoming the seventh EU country where FSD (Supervised) can be used temporarily.
In addition, a vote on EU-wide recognition of the Dutch approval for FSD (Supervised) may be approaching. According to a Tesla press release from early September, such a vote could take place as early as October 6. A qualified majority requires approval from 15 of the 27 member states in the relevant committee, the Technical Committee – Motor Vehicles (TCMV), while at least 65 percent of the EU population must also be covered.
Tesla releases FSD dashboard
To convince EU policymakers of the reliability of FSD (Supervised), which the manufacturer claims can even save lives, Tesla has made a dashboard available online that includes data such as the distances traveled and accidents involving the assist system.
Tesla once marketed FSD as a solution for autonomous driving until U.S. authorities intervened. Fully autonomous driving without any attention from the driver in the seat (“hands-off, eyes-off”) is not possible with FSD. As a result, FSD now also carries the label “supervised” or “monitored.” Today, FSD (Supervised) is classified as an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) at SAE Level 2 (partially automated driving). The system allows for basic automatic door-to-door driving, but the driver must always be ready to take control of the vehicle.