The Netherlands will be the first country in Europe to see Tesla electric vehicles with enhanced driver assistance features. There are ongoing debates about the safety of the FSD system.
Tesla has begun rolling out a more advanced version of its driver assistance system in Europe. The first country is the Netherlands. "Trained on billions of kilometers of real-world driving data, the system can take you almost anywhere under your control - from residential streets to urban roads and highways," Tesla Europe said in a post on platform X on Friday, April 10, as reported by DW.
Launch and Expansion Plans
This refers to the Full Self-Driving (FSD) system in the "with driver supervision" version. Before receiving permission for use, Tesla tested the software across Europe. Now the company hopes to gain approval from regulators in other countries. Despite the name, the technology is not yet a full autopilot: the driver is required to keep the situation under control and be ready to take over at any moment.
Tesla's FSD with driver supervision can, among other things, change lanes autonomously, follow navigation routes, navigate around obstacles, turn, approach the driver in a parking lot, and park automatically. Tesla's website states that vehicles of this model have so far been available in the USA, Canada, China, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and South Korea.
Musk's Promises and Reality
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been talking about fully autonomous cars in the near future for many years. However, the current version of the system is just an advanced driving assistant. A more autonomous version is currently available in the United States only in beta testing format. American users have been using FSD for several years, and especially in the early stages, reported numerous failures. According to Musk, the technology has improved significantly, but regulators remain cautious about it.
In March, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) expanded its investigation into Tesla's autopilot system. Analysis of accidents showed that the technology may perform worse in poor visibility. Individual experts and competitors also criticize Tesla's approach, which is based solely on cameras. They believe this is insufficient for safe autonomous driving, especially in challenging weather conditions.
Tesla's Situation in Germany
Meanwhile, in Germany, Tesla sales are rising again, reports Der Spiegel. In the first quarter, the company sold over 12,800 electric vehicles, ranking third in the market after Volkswagen and Skoda.
Previously, demand had decreased - experts attributed this to the update of the model range and the decline in Musk's popularity, partly due to his political statements and closeness to U.S. President Donald Trump.
