Tesla Inc. is facing scrutiny from European regulators over its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system. The company has been accused of presenting misleading safety data to seek approval for its FSD system in Europe. Independent traffic-safety researchers have taken issue with Tesla’s self-published safety statistics, which claim the FSD system is up to 10 times safer than human drivers.
Misleading Safety Data
Reuters discovered several invalid data comparisons in Tesla’s statistics, which inflated its safety claims. The company has presented these exaggerated safety figures to regulators in Sweden and the Netherlands. Tesla initiated the FSD approval process with the Dutch road regulator, RDW, in late 2024, stating that “increased usage” of FSD “leads to safer roads.” The company also approached Swedish regulators in April, claiming vehicles using FSD can travel over seven times farther between crashes than the average U.S. human driver.
Unrealistic Assumptions
Researchers argue that the figures are misleading because they rely on an unrealistic assumption that every U.S. vehicle would be replaced by a Tesla equipped with FSD technology. The Reuters analysis also found that Tesla inflated its safety claims by comparing crash rates from FSD-triggered airbag deployments with broader U.S. accident data that includes minor collisions. Additionally, Tesla benchmarks its vehicles against the average U.S. car, which is typically older and lacks newer safety technologies, skewing the results in Tesla’s favor.
Investor Skepticism
This controversy comes on the heels of Tesla’s recent announcement of its first European safety data for FSD. The company reported that drivers using FSD Supervised on public roads in the Netherlands recorded 3.5 times fewer collisions than manual drivers over the past two months. However, Tesla’s FSD system has faced criticism in the past, with investors expressing concerns about the unrealistic expectations set by Tesla bulls regarding the FSD system.
Criticism from Investors
Investor Gary Black has expressed concerns about the unrealistic expectations set by Tesla bulls, stating that some investors are “blindly parroting” CEO Elon Musk’s 2030 delivery targets. Ross Gerber, co-founder of Gerber Kawasaki, has also criticized Tesla’s FSD system, stating that it is still not comparable to human driving ability. Gerber argues that human senses outperform Tesla’s eight-camera vision system and questions its effectiveness in real-world driving.
Conclusion
The controversy surrounding Tesla’s FSD system highlights the need for transparency and accuracy in safety data. As the company continues to seek approval for its FSD system in Europe, it must address the concerns of regulators and investors. With the future of autonomous driving hanging in the balance, Tesla must demonstrate the safety and efficacy of its FSD system to gain the trust of the public and the investment community.