France has publicly opposed EU authorisation of Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software in its current form, citing safety risks such as speeding and driver inattention. The Dutch regulator gave provisional approval in April, prompting several other countries to follow, but France's stance is the first formal national rejection ahead of a possible EU vote this fall. Tesla CEO Elon Musk warned that delays would be dangerous. France says technical talks with the Netherlands and other EU partners are ongoing.
France Opposes EU Approval of Tesla's Full Self-Driving, Citing Safety Risks
FILE PHOTO: Illustration shows silhouette of Elon Musk and Tesla logo
AMSTERDAM, July 23 — France's transport minister announced that France will not authorise Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) driver-assistance software for use on European Union roads in its current form, citing safety concerns including speeding and driver inattention.
This is the first public rejection by an EU government of a Dutch-led initiative to approve the technology across Europe. The Netherlands' vehicle authority, RDW, granted provisional approval for FSD on Dutch roads in April, a move that encouraged Belgium, Denmark, Estonia and Lithuania to take similar provisional steps while a possible bloc-wide vote is expected later this fall.
Safety Concerns and Official Response
In a video statement, Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said: "In France, we believe that, while this system brings a number of technological advances, the safety tradeoffs are not yet sufficient to justify authorisation in its current form." He cited specific worries about the system encouraging excessive speed and undermining driver attention. Tabarot added that other EU countries share these concerns, though he did not name them; Reuters earlier reported that Sweden may also oppose approval.
"Delaying the approval of FSD in France will cost lives," Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote on X in response to Tabarot's remarks.
What This Means
Tesla's FSD is a driver-assistance package that can steer, accelerate and brake while requiring a human driver to remain ready to intervene. For Tesla, FSD is both a selling point and a recurring-revenue product, and wider approval in Europe would be commercially significant. Conversely, opposition from a major EU member state like France could slow or block bloc-wide authorisation.
Tabarot said France will continue technical discussions with the Netherlands and other EU partners to address safety concerns. The RDW could not be reached for immediate comment on Thursday.
Context: A potential EU decision this fall could determine whether provisional national approvals become accepted more broadly across the bloc, or whether stricter conditions and further testing will be required before FSD gains widespread legal acceptance in Europe.
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