Netherlands approves Tesla’s supervised self-driving tech
RDW, the Dutch vehicle authority, has greenlit Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) technology to be launched on public roads in the Netherlands.
According to the RDW, Tesla’s driver-controlled assistance system has been extensively examined and tested for over a year and a half on test tracks and public roads. The vehicle authority says it offers “a positive contribution to road safety.”
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) helps drivers accelerate, brake, and steer their car. As the name suggests, it’s not an autonomous driving system, meaning the driver is legally responsible if anything goes wrong.
Has your password leaked?
When the feature is enabled, various sensors monitor whether the driver is paying attention to the road and whether their hands are available to take over the steering wheel. “Hands, therefore, do not have to be on the steering wheel, but must be able to take over immediately if necessary,” the RDW states.
When the system detects that the driver isn’t paying attention, the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) feature sounds an alarm, requiring the driver to intervene and demonstrate they’re on high alert. Reading a newspaper behind the wheel, for example, is prohibited.
“Trained on billions of kilometers of real-world driving data, it can drive you almost anywhere under your supervision, from residential roads to city streets and highways. No other vehicle can do this. We’re excited to bring FSD (Supervised) to more European countries soon,” Tesla Europe says in a post on X.
According to Tesla-owner Elon Musk, the Dutch vehicle authority was “extremely rigorous” in their review.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) feature will be rolled out in the Netherlands “shortly” via so-called over-the-air updates, available for the Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y. To activate it, drivers will have to pay €99 ($115) per month or €7,500 upfront.
The Netherlands is the first European country to allow Tesla’s driver-assistance system. The RDW can submit an application for approval to the European Commission, and if approved, other Member States may accept Tesla’s self-driving technology without further testing.
Globally, Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) feature has so far only been available in Australia, Canada, China, Mexico, New Zealand, and the United States.
Unlock more exclusive Cybernews content on YouTube.
