Tesla is once under fire from critics of its Full Self-Driving driver-assistance system, this time in Europe. The problem popped up after Reuters reported that the automaker presented self-published statistics to European regulators that independent traffic-safety experts say exaggerate FSD’s benefits.

The timing comes as Tesla is looking to get wider regulatory approval for its FSD across Europe, where growing competition from Chinese automakers have cut into Tesla’s EV dominance, and sales have been declining of late.

According to Reuters, Tesla provided safety data to regulators in the Netherlands and Sweden as part of the its efforts to get approval for the system. The company’s submitted information included claims that vehicles operating with FSD can travel more than seven times farther between crashes than the average human-driven vehicle and that widespread adoption of the technology could potentially prevent tens of thousands of deaths and millions of injuries.

Reuters reported that several independent researchers challenged those claims, saying that Tesla’s comparisons rely on flawed assumptions and selective data that overstate the system’s safety performance.

Tesla’s FSD technology can perform many driving tasks autonomously but still requires drivers to remain attentive and ready to intervene. The company has repeatedly argued that the system improves road safety and is central to its future growth strategy.

Reuters found that Tesla’s safety comparisons often measure crashes involving FSD-equipped vehicles against broader US crash statistics that include older vehicles, motorcycles, and commercial trucks. Researchers said that those comparisons can create a misleading impression because Tesla’s newer vehicles already benefit from modern safety technologies that reduce accident rates regardless of FSD use.

The report also found that Tesla compares airbag-deployment crashes involving FSD-equipped vehicles to overall crash statistics that include less-severe incidents, potentially inflating the apparent safety advantage.

The Dutch road authority, RDW, approved FSD for use in the Netherlands in April after more than a year of testing and evaluation. The agency told Reuters that it does not rely on marketing claims or external statistics when making regulatory decisions and instead conducts its own testing and verification. RDW is now pursuing broader European Union approval on Tesla’s behalf.

Swedish regulators declined to speak specifically on Tesla’s data but said any evaluation would be based on a comprehensive review of evidence rather than headline safety claims.

The Reuters report also found that Tesla’s statistics are being cited by regulators and supporters across Europe. Greece, which has expressed interest in approving FSD, referenced US data showing significant reductions in accidents, while Tesla owners in countries such as Norway have urged regulators to accelerate approval based on Tesla’s published safety reports.

A vote by European Union member states in the coming months could determine whether Tesla’s FSD system gains wider approval.

Natalie Neff

But for a couple of sketchy, short-lived gigs right out of college, Natalie Neff has had the good fortune to spend the entirety of her professional life around cars. A 2017 Honda Ridgeline, 1972 VW Beetle, 1999 Ducati Monster and a well-loved purple-and-white five-speed Schwinn currently call her garage home.