Overview
- RDW issued a national type approval on Friday after more than 18 months of testing that logged about 1.6 million kilometres, over 13,000 ride‑alongs, and thousands of track scenarios under UN Regulation 171, with the driver remaining responsible at all times.
- RDW told Reuters on Monday it has notified the European Commission to seek EU‑wide recognition, which requires a majority vote from member states, and countries may still choose to recognise the Dutch decision independently if no majority is reached.
- Tesla began rolling out software version 2026.3.6 to Dutch vehicles on Saturday, allowing hands‑off use under supervision within the Netherlands and disabling the feature at the border, with initial access limited to cars equipped with the newer HW4 computer.
- The European build is not directly comparable to the U.S. version and adds safeguards such as stricter eye‑tracking to confirm attentiveness, RDW pre‑checks for software updates, and a mandatory in‑car tutorial with a short quiz before first use.
- Dutch customers can subscribe for €99 per month or buy for €7,500, with a reduced rate for prior Enhanced Autopilot buyers, and Tesla executives say many non‑EU countries that follow UNECE rules could consider recognition next, though decisions remain pending.