Flemish Minister Approves Tesla Autonomy Amid Safety Criticism

Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder (N‑VA) granted approval for the use of Tesla's Full Self‑Driving (FSD) system on public roads in Flanders despite an internal advisory report warning of serious risks. The report highlighted repeated difficulties of the system in interpreting traffic signs, road markings and railway crossings, and noted that certain test scenarios had not been evaluated.

One incident has already occurred, in which a low‑speed autonomous Tesla struck a stationary vehicle after the driver intervened at a roundabout. The opposition party Vooruit condemned the rapid approval, accusing the minister of ignoring staff warnings, withholding safety documents, and lacking transparency. Vooruit lawmakers demanded a more thorough review and full access to the advisory documents, which they claim remain unpublished.

The minister’s office responded that the concerns raised by the Department of Mobility and Public Works have been addressed through continuous safety monitoring and specific user guidelines.