Despite Controversy, Netherlands Confirms Tesla FSD System is Very Safe in Testing

JAKARTA - Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system finally obtained approval for use in the Netherlands after undergoing more than 18 months of testing and evaluation by the RDW. This decision is an important milestone and opens up opportunities for the expansion of this technology to a wider European region.

"The latest version of FSD, which is still under supervision, is said to contribute positively to road safety," said RDW, as reported by Carscoops, Tuesday, April 14.

Following the approval, Tesla stated that it would soon introduce this technology in the Netherlands. So, later users can experience driving without having to hold the steering wheel, both in urban areas and on toll roads.

Furthermore, the blessing from the RDW not only has a local impact. This approval has the potential to be a gateway for the implementation of FSD in EU member countries.

However, before being widely implemented, RDW still needs to submit an authentication process at the regional level which must then obtain approval from member countries through a voting mechanism.

Majority support is the main requirement for this system to be fully adopted in the European Union. Even so, if it is not achieved, each country still has the authority to give approval independently, as reported by Reuters.

Since the announcement, Tesla has actively shared various test videos of FSD Supervised in the Netherlands through the X platform. However, the RDW emphasized that vehicles with FSD Supervised are not vehicles that can drive themselves.

Then, emphasize that drivers are still responsible and must always maintain control. In his statement, RDW also said that Tesla's driver assistance system supports drivers more than other systems because it takes over various driving tasks when activated.

The agency added that because of the continuous strict monitoring of drivers inside the vehicle, this system is safer than other driver assistance systems. This was concluded after undergoing testing both on special tracks and on public roads.

If the system detects the driver is not fully focused while driving, various warnings will be activated to draw attention. In certain conditions, the system can even be temporarily disabled to ensure safety remains the top priority.

Previously, the FSD Tesla had sparked controversy. In fact, Euro NCAP as a vehicle safety testing agency that is a global benchmark.

They assessed that the system has the potential to be dangerous and has not met the standards of responsibility as a true self-driving technology. This statement was made by Euro NCAP's Technical Director, Richard Schram, as reported by the Drive page.

He emphasized that the FSD technology, which has been aggressively promoted, will not receive high ratings based on current safety testing criteria.