Slovenia clears Tesla's FSD driver assistance ahead of EU vote

Slovenia Approves Tesla’s FSD Driver-Assistance System Ahead of EU Decision

Slovenia Leads in Approving Tesla’s FSD Amid Broader European Developments

Slovenia’s Approval and Official Statements

STOCKHOLM, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Slovenia has allowed Tesla’s FSD driver-assistance system to be used on its roads, the U.S. automaker said, becoming the sixth European country to do so ahead of a potential EU-wide vote.

• "FSD Supervised now approved in Slovenia. Rollout will begin soon," Tesla wrote in a post on X on Monday that was reposted by CEO Elon Musk.

• Slovenia's Energy and Infrastructure Minister Jernej Vrtovec also reposted the announcement with the words "Developing Slovenia".

European Context and Other Country Approvals

Netherlands as the First EU Country

• Regulators provisionally approved the use of the software on roads in the Netherlands in early April, making it the first country in the EU to allow FSD, which can control a car but requires drivers to pay attention.

Upcoming EU-Wide Vote

• Tesla said last week, when it publicly released a self-produced dataset from its European and North American testing, that an EU-wide approval vote could happen as soon as October 6.

Other European Countries Considering Approval

• Besides the Netherlands and Slovenia, four other European countries have approved Tesla's driver-assistance system, while Finland and Greece have said they are considering approvals.

France’s Position and Safety Concerns

• France, which raised issues in July around potential approvals due to safety concerns, said last week it had begun testing two FSD-equipped cars following what its transport minister called a "constructive exchange" with Musk.

Regulatory Oversight and Safety Considerations

Slovenian Traffic Safety Agency’s Statement

• The Slovenian Traffic Safety Agency confirmed to Reuters by email that it had approved the system, adding that while Slovenia sought to remain open to innovation and technological development, new technologies must be introduced safely.

Integration of New Technologies

• "The recognition of the temporary type approval for the FSD (Supervised) system is a concrete example of how new technologies can be gradually integrated into the transport system under appropriate regulatory and safety oversight," the agency said.

(Reporting by Marie Mannes; Editing by Joe Bavier)