--- title: "Dutch regulator withholds Tesla Full Self-Driving safety data at company’s request" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/tech/dutch-regulator-withholds-tesla-full-self-driving-safety-data-at-companys-reques" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/dutch-regulator-withholds-tesla-full-self-driving-safety-data-at-companys-reques" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/tech/dutch-regulator-withholds-tesla-full-self-driving-safety-data-at-companys-reques.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/dutch-regulator-withholds-tesla-full-self-driving-safety-data-at-companys-reques" category: "Science & Tech" area: "European Union" published: "2026-08-08T10:25:37.188Z" source_reported: "2026-08-07T14:00:03.000Z" updated: "2026-08-08T10:25:37.188Z" trust_score: 62 critic_score: 95 hype_score: 15 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-08T12:30:10.544099+00:00" --- # Dutch regulator withholds Tesla Full Self-Driving safety data at company’s request *RDW approved the system four months ago but refuses to disclose its safety assessment, citing Tesla’s commercial secrecy demands* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 62 of 100, higher is better. Trust 62 because the story cites named experts, regulator statements, and two independent outlets. - Craft 95 of 100, higher is better. Critic 95 as the article explains relevance, quotes experts, separates facts, gives specifics, and notes unknowns. - Hype 15 of 100, lower is better. Hype 15; language is measured with no sensationalist exaggeration. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - The Dutch regulator RDW approved Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system in April 2026 but refuses to disclose its safety assessment, citing Tesla’s commercial secrecy demands. - Email correspondence obtained by Reuters shows Tesla pressed RDW to keep the safety review confidential, including seeking written assurances documents would not be released. - European safety experts, including Oliver Carsten and Frank Mutze, argue the public has a right to know the basis for approval, calling the secrecy insufficient for public trust. - RDW is now advocating for EU-wide approval of FSD, which requires a vote from member states representing 65% of the bloc’s population, with a decision possible in October 2026. 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. ## Who covered it Shares of the 7 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 0% (0) - Centre: 57% (4) - Right: 43% (3) 8 of 15 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-08T12:30:10.544099+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 10 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-08T12:45:07.970Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre - The three centre-rated reports, Channel News Asia, The Economic Times, and WTVB, led on the contradiction between RDW’s approval of FSD and its refusal to disclose the safety data behind the decision. All three carried the email correspondence showing Tesla’s pressure on RDW to keep the review confidential. They also included the statements from Oliver Carsten and Frank Mutze, who argued the public has a right to know the basis for approval. - Channel News Asia and WTVB quoted RDW’s April 2026 statement that FSD was "safer than other driver assistance systems" and its later revision to "at least as safe". Both reports noted that RDW did not provide evidence for either claim. The Economic Times’ digest mentioned that European experts had expressed concern over the lack of transparency, but did not name the experts or quote their statements. ### Right - The two right-rated reports, the Times of India and Globo, led on Tesla’s pressure on RDW to keep the safety data secret. Both carried the email correspondence showing Tesla’s demands for confidentiality and the company’s threat to withhold further information until RDW provided written assurances. The Times of India’s full report quoted Tesla’s statement that FSD approval was "key to boosting sales in Europe" and noted the company’s history of seeking to shield regulatory information from public view in the United States. - The Times of India also quoted RDW’s April 2026 statement that FSD was "safer than other driver assistance systems" and its later revision. The report included the Norwegian Public Roads Administration’s statement that the data it reviewed from RDW was "not the same as what Tesla publishes on its website". Globo’s digest did not mention the Norwegian regulator’s statement or the specific wording of RDW’s safety claims. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 2 - high: 3 - unknown: 8 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Numerama](https://numerama.com/vroom/2308015-le-regulateur-qui-a-autorise-le-tesla-fsd-en-europe-refuse-de-partager-ses-donnees-de-securite-sur-le-logiciel.html) — Tesla FSD in Europe: Why Security Data Remains Secret - [Carscoops](https://carscoops.com/2026/08/tesla-fsd-europe-secret-data) — Tesla Asked The Dutch To Promise Its FSD Data Would Never Go Public - [Insurance Journal](https://insurancejournal.com/news/international/2026/08/07/880541.htm) — Pressured by Tesla, European Regulators Keep 'Full Self-Driving' Safety ... - [SicurAUTO.it](https://sicurauto.it/news/sistemi-di-sicurezza/sicurezza-tesla-fsd-paesi-bassi-nascondono-dati-silenzio-sospetto) — Tesla FSD Security: Netherlands Hiding Data: Suspicious Silence - [autoblog.nl](https://autoblog.nl/nieuws/tesla-verbiedt-rdw-het-vrijgeven-van-veiligheidsdata) — Tesla Prohibits RDW From Releasing Safety Data - [Unknown](https://chosun.com/international/international_general/2026/08/07/MY2TSMRTMNSGKZRXGJTGIYJVMY) — Europe Hides FSD Safety Data at Tesla's Demand... "Trade Secrets More Important Than Safety" - [Heti Világgazdaság](https://hvg.hu/cegauto/20260806_tesla-fsd-biztonsagi-adatok-titkositasa) — Tesla Pressured to Keep Self-Driving System Safety Tests in Europe Secret - [autoplus.fr](https://autoplus.fr/actualite/fsd-tesla-europe-donnees-secretes-1459987.html) — Tesla's FSD Is Considered Safe Enough for Europe... but the Data that Prove It Remains Secret - [Crypto Briefing](https://cryptobriefing.com/tesla-fsd-european-regulators-secrecy) — Tesla pressures European regulators to keep Full Self-Driving data secret - [Times of India](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/teslas-fsd-safety-secrets-european-regulators-under-pressure-to-keep-data-hidden/articleshow/133005307.cms) — Pressured by Tesla, European regulators keep 'Full Self-Driving' safety data secret - [The Economic Times](https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/world-news/teslas-fsd-safety-secrets-european-regulators-under-pressure-to-keep-data-hidden/articleshow/133005307.cms) — Pressured by Tesla, European regulators keep 'Full Self-Driving' safety data secret - [Reuters](https://reuters.com/legal/litigation/pressured-by-tesla-european-regulators-keep-full-self-driving-safety-data-secret-2026-08-06) — Pressured by Tesla, European Regulators Keep 'Full Self-Driving' Safety Data Secret - [Globo](https://valor.globo.com/empresas/noticia/2026/08/06/pressionados-pela-tesla-reguladores-europeus-mantm-em-sigilo-dados-de-segurana-do-full-self-driving.ghtml) — Pressed by Tesla, European Regulators Keep Security Data From ‘Full Self-Driven' - [WTVB](https://wtvbam.com/2026/08/06/pressured-by-tesla-european-regulators-keep-full-self-driving-safety-data-secret) — Pressured by Tesla, European regulators keep ‘Full Self-Driving’ safety data secret - [Channel News Asia](https://channelnewsasia.com/business/pressured-tesla-european-regulators-keep-full-self-driving-safety-data-secret-6303466) — Pressured by Tesla, European regulators keep 'Full Self-Driving' safety data secret ## Questions **Why won’t the Dutch regulator release Tesla FSD safety data?** The Dutch road regulator RDW refuses to disclose its safety assessment of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system, citing Tesla’s demands for commercial secrecy. RDW says releasing the data would violate Tesla’s trade secrets, though it has not explained how details of its testing could reveal sensitive information. Email correspondence shows Tesla pressed RDW to keep the review confidential. **What did Tesla say about keeping FSD safety data secret?** Tesla pressed the Dutch regulator RDW to keep its Full Self-Driving safety review confidential, according to email correspondence obtained by Reuters. In one exchange, a Tesla representative sought written assurance that RDW would "never" release a specific document and said the company could not provide further information until the matter was clarified. Tesla has a history of seeking to shield regulatory information from public view. **When could Tesla’s FSD be approved across the EU?** Tesla is seeking EU approval for its Full Self-Driving system, which requires a vote from member states representing 55% of the bloc’s population and 65% of its total population. RDW, the Dutch regulator, is advocating for FSD’s adoption and a decision could come in October 2026. Other European regulators have also refused to disclose FSD safety data, citing trade secrecy concerns. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/tech/dutch-regulator-withholds-tesla-full-self-driving-safety-data-at-companys-reques. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Dutch regulator withholds Tesla Full Self-Driving safety data at company’s request", https://mediabias.news/tech/dutch-regulator-withholds-tesla-full-self-driving-safety-data-at-companys-reques