Tesla begins unsupervised FSD trials in London and Berlin

Thursday 09 April 2026 - 13:20

By: Dakir Madiha

Tesla begins unsupervised FSD trials in London and Berlin

Tesla has launched its first unsupervised full self-driving trials in Europe after securing regulatory approval to operate autonomous vehicles without safety drivers in London and Berlin. The deployment marks a major step for the company’s neural network-based driving system, which is now allowed to run independently on public roads in both cities.

The pilot programs began on April 8, 2026, with a fleet that includes Cybercabs as well as modified Model 3 and Model Y vehicles. Operations are currently limited to specific urban zones, including Westminster in London and the Mitte district in Berlin. The move follows years of regulatory negotiations and testing across the region.

The rollout comes at a critical moment for Tesla’s broader push to gain approval for its full self-driving technology across Europe. A decision from the Dutch vehicle authority on supervised FSD use in the Netherlands is expected shortly, a step that could influence wider adoption across the European Union.

In the United Kingdom, the trials were enabled by the Automated Vehicles Act 2024, which established a legal framework for autonomous driving. Under this law, responsibility for the vehicle shifts to a designated authorized entity when the system is active. Tesla worked with Transport for London and national regulators to meet safety and compliance standards, including integration of real-time traffic data.

Germany provided a separate regulatory pathway. The country’s AFGBV directive allows level 4 autonomous driving in designated areas. Authorities granted Tesla approval after months of testing, including so-called “shadow mode” trials on Berlin’s streets and on highways. Germany has positioned itself as a leading jurisdiction for autonomous vehicle regulation.

Tesla’s approval places it ahead of competitors in Europe. Waymo, owned by Alphabet Inc., has announced plans to launch a driverless robotaxi service in London later in 2026, but its initial tests will still involve human supervision. UK authorities are also reviewing additional regulatory changes to support wider deployment of autonomous taxis.

The scale of Tesla’s testing effort has been significant. The company has logged more than 1.6 million kilometers of FSD testing on European roads. It has also conducted over 13,000 customer rides and thousands of controlled test scenarios. A separate pilot shuttle using Tesla’s software was introduced in a German district in late 2025, marking one of the first real-world applications of the system in Europe.

The company is now preparing for a commercial phase. Tesla plans to transition from pilot programs to a large-scale robotaxi network known as the Tesla Network by 2027. Production of the Cybercab vehicle, designed specifically for autonomous ride-hailing, began earlier this year in Texas, with additional manufacturing planned in Berlin.

Regulatory challenges remain. Consumer groups in the European Union are calling for stricter data transparency rules, including mandatory “black box” systems that would record driving data in case of accidents. These requirements could force Tesla to disclose aspects of its neural network operations, raising questions about data privacy and intellectual property.

The outcome of these debates may shape how quickly Tesla expands beyond London and Berlin. Cities such as Paris and Madrid are seen as potential next targets, but further approvals will depend on regulatory alignment and public acceptance.