Key facts
- Tesla presented self-published safety data to regulators in Sweden and the Netherlands for its "Full Self-Driving" system.
- Independent researchers claim Tesla's safety statistics are misleading and exaggerated.
- The Dutch regulator RDW approved FSD in April and is seeking EU-wide approval.
- Tesla claims FSD usage leads to safer roads and could have saved thousands of lives.
- Regulators in Sweden and Norway expressed skepticism about Tesla's self-produced safety data.
Tesla has presented self-published safety statistics to regulators in Sweden and the Netherlands in its bid to gain approval for its "Full Self-Driving" (FSD) system. Independent traffic-safety researchers contend these statistics are misleading and exaggerate the system's safety compared to human drivers. Tesla CEO Elon Musk and other leaders have cited statistics suggesting FSD is up to 10 times safer than human drivers and travels seven times farther between crashes. However, a Reuters review found these claims are based on invalid data comparisons, such as assuming all vehicles would be replaced by FSD-enabled Teslas or comparing crash rates that trigger airbag deployments to all U.S. accidents, including less severe ones.
The Dutch road regulator, RDW, approved FSD in April and is now seeking EU-wide approval on Tesla's behalf. RDW stated it does not rely on marketing claims but conducts its own tests and verifications. In Sweden, a Tesla policy manager attached a presentation to regulators claiming FSD could have potentially saved 32,000 lives and prevented 1.9 million injuries, figures researchers deem highly misleading. Swedish regulators indicated they look beyond headline figures. Officials in Norway also expressed skepticism, noting Tesla's figures are self-produced.
Tesla views FSD approval in Europe as crucial for sales growth in a region where it is trying to regain market share and compete with Chinese EV makers. For EU-wide approval, 55% of member states representing 65% of the bloc's population must vote yes. Individual member states can also grant approval, with Greece having indicated its aim to do so, citing data from "the other side of the Atlantic."