From Dutch Roads To Flemish Highways: Tesla FSD’s European Rollout Heats Up

• A spokesperson for Belgium's central transport ministry reportedly told Reuters that approving FSD is up to the regions, not the central government.
• The Netherlands became the first European Union country to provisionally approve Tesla's FSD software last month.
• Separately, Reuters reported that European vehicle regulators are set to meet in Brussels on Tuesday, where the Dutch road ​authority will make the case for Tesla's FSD being approved across the European Union.

Belgium's Flanders region signaled it may quickly follow the Netherlands in approving Tesla Inc’s (TSLA) full self driving driver-assistance system, in a push for the company’s efforts to have the technology approved across Europe.

Flanders Transport Minister Annick De Ridder said in a post on X that she has asked Tesla to provide the necessary documents so her team can evaluate a fast-track approval. A decision on whether the Dutch-speaking northern region, which borders the Netherlands, can proceed is expected by the end of the week.

"Because you shouldn't slow down innovation, but make it possible in a thoughtful and safe way," De Ridder wrote on X. "This way, we keep Flanders at the forefront as a forward-thinking region.”

A spokesperson for Belgium's central transport ministry reportedly told Reuters that approving FSD is up to the regions, not the central government. Tesla has reportedly also filed for approval in Belgium’s French-speaking Wallonia, the report said.

Dutch Approval

The Netherlands became the first European Union country to provisionally approve Tesla's FSD software last month, clearing the way for a rollout on Dutch public roads. The system allows the vehicle to handle steering, acceleration, and braking in many scenarios, but explicitly requires the driver to remain attentive and ready to intervene at all times. The Dutch vehicle authority (RDW) said the software, tested for more than 1.5 years on public roads and test tracks, contributes positively to road safety when used properly.

Tesla’s FSD Ambitions 

Tesla said during its first-quarter earnings call in late April that the company is eyeing EU-wide approval for FSD late in the second quarter, while it also makes attempts at getting approvals in China. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, however, hinted that Tesla might have to wait before it rolls out its robotaxis, powered by FSD, in Europe.

“...it took us an immense amount of time just to get supervised self-driving approved in Europe. We don't control the regulators. We push as hard as we can, but that's -- it's ultimately up to the governments in Europe and the EU to decide what to do,” Musk said.

“Obviously, the next thing beyond that is to aim for unsupervised self-driving or Robotaxi in Europe. I actually don't know what the time frame for that is, and would be somewhat at the mercy of the regulators as to when that approval would take place.”

RDW Aids Tesla Push

Separately, Reuters reported that European vehicle regulators are set to meet in Brussels on Tuesday, where the Dutch road ​authority will make the case for Tesla's FSD being approved across the European Union. No vote on EU-wide approval is expected until later this year, and until then, countries may approve the system individually, the report noted.

How Did TSLA Retail Traders React?

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around TSLA stayed within the ‘bullish’ territory over the past 24 hours while message volume remained at ‘low’ levels.

TSLA stock has gained 39% over the past 12 months. 

Read More: ZIM Shares Spike As Rival $4.5B Buyout Proposal Trumps German Deal

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.