KBA takes up recognition of the RDW approval

Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority (Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt, KBA) is reviewing whether to recognise the Dutch type approval for Tesla's FSD (Supervised) system. This is not a new, independent authorisation but the application of the mechanism on which the EU rollout of FSD is built: one national authority issues the underlying type approval, and other member states then recognise it on their own territory.

The original approval was issued by the Dutch authority RDW, which served as the reference point for subsequent clearances in several EU countries. The mutual-recognition mechanism for type approvals allows the feature to extend to new markets without a full fresh certification in each country, while the final decision and paperwork remain with the national regulator.

For Germany, the KBA review is a procedural stage rather than a launch. Until the authority completes its assessment and formalises recognition, FSD (Supervised) does not become available to German owners. The regulator's public materials do not disclose the timeline or details of the review. As in other countries where the system is already approved, FSD (Supervised) remains a driver-assistance system: responsibility for control stays with the human, who must supervise the drive at all times.