The electric vehicle maker confirmed it has completed the final vehicle testing phase with RDW and submitted all documentation required for UN R-171 approval plus Article 39 exemptions. The Dutch authority is now reviewing the comprehensive package of test results and documentation internally.

"We are anticipating a possible EU-wide approval during the summer," Tesla Europe said in the announcement. The company added: "We're extremely proud of the work conducted with the RDW team up until this point. We very much look forward to the approval in April, and sharing FSD (Supervised) with our patient EU customers."

Commenting on the development, Barclays analyst Dan Levy said, "[o]ther EU countries will be able to recognize Netherlands approval, potential EU-wide approval during the summer." He sees the news as a positive for the stock as European regulations have limited FSD.

Extensive Testing Program

Tesla disclosed that the approval process involved an intensive 18-month testing and documentation effort. The program included over 1.6 million kilometers of FSD testing on EU roads, more than 13,000 customer sales ride-alongs, and over 4,500 track test scenario executions.

The regulatory submission encompasses thousands of pages of written documentation addressing more than 400 compliance requirements, along with dozens of research studies examining safety performance and results.

RDW serves as the type approval authority for Tesla in Europe, making its decision critical for broader market access. Under EU regulations, following Netherlands approval, other European countries can recognize the approval nationally, though full EU-wide harmonization requires additional regulatory steps.

Regulatory Scrutiny Context

The anticipated European approval comes amid heightened regulatory scrutiny in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration escalated its probe into 3.2 million Tesla vehicles with FSD on Thursday over concerns the system may fail in poor visibility conditions.

However, NHTSA also closed a separate defect petition on Friday covering 2.26 million Tesla vehicles, finding no evidence of safety-related defects in pedal misapplication claims.

Tesla shares traded down 0.99% to $376.52 on Friday, with the stock declining despite the regulatory progress update.

What to Watch

Investors should monitor several key developments:

• April 10 decision date: RDW's approval announcement and any conditions or limitations attached to the authorization

• EU-wide approval timeline: Progress toward summer 2026 broader European market access

• Commercial rollout details: Pricing structure, vehicle model availability, and geographic phasing once approved

• US investigation impact: Whether NHTSA's escalated probe influences European regulatory decisions

• Competitive positioning: How Tesla's approval timeline compares to rivals like Mercedes-Benz, which has already secured Level 3 autonomous driving approval in Germany

The Netherlands approval would represent Tesla's first regulatory authorization for Full Self-Driving technology outside the United States, potentially opening a significant new revenue stream in the European market.