Dutch regulator withholds Tesla Full Self-Driving safety data at company’s request

The Dutch road regulator RDW approved Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system in April 2026, four months before reports emerged that it was withholding the safety data behind its decision. RDW told Reuters it would not disclose how it evaluated the system or why it concluded FSD was safe, citing Tesla’s demands for commercial secrecy. The regulator has since advocated for FSD’s adoption across the European Union.

Reuters obtained email correspondence between RDW and Tesla showing the company pressed the regulator to keep the safety review confidential. In one exchange from April 2025, a Tesla representative sought confirmation that RDW would "never" release a specific document and asked how it would ensure the information remained "withheld from public disclosure". Tesla said it could not provide further details to RDW "until this matter is clarified". RDW told Tesla that manufacturers could request exemptions from public disclosure under Dutch law.

RDW announced in April 2026 that FSD was "safer than other driver assistance systems" and later revised the statement to "at least as safe as other driver assistance systems". The regulator did not provide data or evidence to support either claim. RDW said it conducted "extensive testing" on closed tracks and public roads but did not specify how it measured performance or safety. The regulator declined to explain how details of its testing could reveal commercially sensitive information.

Tesla is now seeking EU approval for FSD, which requires a vote from member states representing 55% of the bloc’s population and 65% of its total population. A decision could come in October 2026. Other European regulators, including those in Germany, Norway, and Denmark, have also refused to disclose FSD safety data, citing trade secrecy concerns. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration said the data it reviewed from RDW was "not the same as what Tesla publishes on its website", referring to the company’s self-reported safety statistics.

What the coverage left out

No left-rated outlet ran this story. None of the digests from unrated outlets mentioned the specific conditions under which RDW tested FSD, such as the types of roads or scenarios used. The Times of India’s full report was the only one to note that RDW did not specify how it measured performance or safety, but this detail did not appear in any digest.