France opposes EU approval of Tesla’s FSD driver assistance software for now

WEB DESK: France has rejected the use of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) driver assistance software on its roads in its current form, citing safety concerns and becoming the first European Union member state to publicly oppose a Dutch-led push for wider approval of the technology.

French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said the government believes the system’s safety trade-offs are not sufficient to justify authorisation despite its technological advances.

“In France, we believe that, while this system brings several technological advances, the safety trade-offs are not yet sufficient to justify authorisation in its current form,” Tabarot said in a video statement released on Wednesday.

Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system is an advanced driver assistance feature that can accelerate, brake and steer a vehicle, but requires the human driver to remain attentive and ready to take control at any time.

The Dutch road authority (RDW) granted provisional approval for the software in April, prompting Belgium, Denmark, Estonia and Lithuania to follow suit ahead of a possible European Union-wide vote expected later this year.

France’s opposition marks the first public rejection of the Dutch-backed initiative by an EU government, potentially complicating efforts to secure bloc-wide approval.

Responding on X, Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said delaying approval of the Full Self-Driving system in France “will cost lives.”

Tabarot said France would continue technical discussions with the Netherlands and other EU member states as authorities assess the technology’s safety.

Tesla views Full Self-Driving as a key revenue driver and competitive advantage as the automaker works to strengthen its position in the European market following a decline in registrations last year.