Tesla Wins Approval to Launch FSD (Supervised) in Croatia
Croatia becomes the eighth European nation to authorize the feature, bringing the global active market count to 16.
Tesla has secured regulatory approval to launch Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in Croatia, marking the eighth European country to authorize the technology for use on public roads. The announcement, made via Tesla’s official EMEA account on X, confirms that the rollout will begin soon.
What Happened
The Croatian approval is the third regional authorization in September, following similar green lights in Czechia and Slovenia. This move relies on the regulatory exemption framework established by the Dutch vehicle authority RDW earlier this year, allowing Tesla to pursue bilateral, country-by-country approvals rather than waiting for a unified European Union vote. With Croatia joining the list, which already includes the Netherlands, Lithuania, Estonia, Denmark, Belgium, Slovenia, and Czechia, Tesla’s self-driving tech has been independently approved in one-third of the EU member states. The rollout will initially be limited to vehicles equipped with Hardware 4 (AI4), delivering a custom European build of FSD v14 that incorporates local traffic regulations. Owners of older Hardware 3 vehicles will need to wait for the future rollout of FSD v14 Lite in Europe.
Why It Matters
This localized momentum contrasts sharply with the stalled progress in Brussels, where a vote on bloc-wide adoption has been delayed from October 6 to December at the earliest. By securing individual national approvals, Tesla strengthens its real-world safety record and complicates the position of EU officials who might oppose a final blanket approval. To succeed in the upcoming bloc-wide vote, Tesla will need a qualified majority of at least 15 countries in favor. However, opposition remains; Sweden has urged the EU to reject FSD due to concerns over overspeeding, and France has raised similar issues. Meanwhile, Tesla is actively engaging with regulators in Ireland and Italy to potentially expand the list further, aiming to reach a critical mass of supportive nations before the December deadline.
The Bottom Line
Tesla continues to bypass EU regulatory gridlock through national approvals, with Croatia becoming the 16th active market for FSD (Supervised) globally. While this strategy accelerates availability for some European owners, it leaves the broader EU-wide adoption uncertain until the delayed vote in December.
