Key facts
- Tesla's FSD system frequently exceeded speed limits and attempted prohibited overtakes in Belgium, according to safety group Johanna.be.
- Tests showed FSD often displayed incorrect speed limits, such as 50 km/h in 30 km/h zones.
- The system exceeded the speed limit in most tested 30 km/h zones around Brussels, averaging 44 km/h.
- Johanna.be observed FSD attempting to overtake cyclists on streets where it was not allowed.
- The Belgian group's report was sent to the Flemish ministry and Dutch regulator RDW, urging reassessment of FSD approvals.
- Tesla released a study claiming FSD-enabled Teslas do not speed excessively and match surrounding traffic speeds.
Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) automated-driving system frequently exceeded speed limits and attempted prohibited overtakes in Belgium, according to tests conducted by the Belgian road-safety advocacy group Johanna.be. The group reported that the system often displayed incorrect speed limits, potentially misleading drivers about how fast they should travel.
Johanna.be tested the FSD system over three days in July, covering approximately 400 km (249 miles). The tests revealed that FSD frequently exceeded speed limits in 20 km/h and 30 km/h zones. In many instances, the system displayed an incorrect speed limit of 50 km/h on its screen, even when roadside signs indicated 30 km/h. The group likened this to a passenger constantly reassuring the driver that the speed limit was 50 km/h in 30 km/h zones.
Videos collected by the group also showed the FSD-enabled Tesla attempting to overtake cyclists on streets where such maneuvers are prohibited. While the report noted that the system behaved cautiously and courteously around pedestrians and cyclists, these positive aspects did not offset the documented failures to comply with speed limits and cycle-street regulations.
The Dutch regulator RDW approved the FSD system in April, with Belgium and other countries following suit. An EU-wide vote on the system is anticipated in October. However, several EU countries, including Sweden, have expressed concerns about FSD exceeding speed limits. Tesla released a study earlier this month asserting that FSD-enabled Teslas do not speed excessively and match surrounding traffic speeds.
Xavier Lesenne, spokesperson for the Flemish government’s transportation ministry, which approved FSD in Belgium, stated that it is a learning system and that the driver remains 100% responsible for intervening when the system makes an error. He added that data from Tesla indicates the technology has significant potential for accident prevention.
Johanna.be has sent its report to the Flemish ministry and RDW, urging them to reassess the approvals.