EVwire brief: Germany is throwing its support behind a swift EU-wide approval of Tesla's FSD (Supervised). The backing follows talks between Tesla and Germany's Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) in September, where Tesla offered to rename Full Self Driving Supervised to "Tesla Assisted Driving."
Federal Transport Minister Steffen Bilger is advocating for the approval, which is currently being discussed at the European level. The system supports steering, braking and accelerating, though the driver must stay attentive and remains responsible for driving. According to the BMV, current findings show the system performs well, particularly in urban traffic.
The two sides also agreed that the system may exceed the posted speed limit by up to 10%, which the BMV said can contribute to a smoother and more consistent flow of traffic. Germany has signaled that it is willing to support this approach in the EU approval process.
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Bilger said Germany and Tesla quickly found common ground:
I discussed these issues with Tesla in September. We quickly reached a common understanding and a constructive agreement. Based on this, I will now advocate for the system's timely approval across Europe. My goal is for Tesla drivers to be able to benefit from Assisted Driving throughout the EU as quickly as possible.
Speaking at a Tagesspiegel Background conference in Berlin on Tuesday, Bilger said innovation and possible traffic safety benefits were paramount, while acknowledging that technical and liability questions remain open. If no agreement is reached at the EU level, he said, Germany would have to discuss "what can be done in Germany."
Hat tip to @tpgoebel for sharing this update on X.
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Context:
FSD Supervised's path into Europe started in the Netherlands. On April 10, 2026, the Dutch type-approval authority RDW granted it a provisional EU type approval under Article 39(4) of Regulation (EU) 2018/858, which initially applies only in the Netherlands. Other member states can adopt it simply by notifying the RDW in writing.
Lithuania, Estonia, Denmark, Belgium, Slovenia and Czechia had done so by the end of September, and Croatia has since become the eighth. Germany, France, Italy and Spain have not.
For EU-wide approval, the Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles (TCMV) needs a qualified majority: at least 15 of 27 member states representing 65% of the EU population. The European Commission could then issue an implementing act letting the RDW grant approval across the bloc. The draft agenda for the TCMV's October 6 meeting only called for further discussion, not a vote, so a decision likely won't come until December.
Source: Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) and Heise
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