The UK has stopped Tesla from launching its self-driving car software, holding back key features and upsetting Elon Musk’s plans.
UK government officials have delayed efforts to approve advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) across Europe, according to The Telegraph. Musk hopes autonomous driving will be a major growth area for Tesla, especially as the company faces a slowdown in sales and a political backlash due to his support for Donald Trump.
Musk, who has had several disagreements with UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, believes autonomy will be the “main driver” of Tesla’s future value. Tesla’s stock has dropped nearly a third this year as the company struggles with falling sales in key markets.
Tesla’s top lobbyist in Europe resigned in October, criticizing the slow approval process that means the technology, which launched in the US in 2020, may not reach Europe until 2028.
Minutes from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), which sets vehicle safety standards, show that UK Department for Transport (DfT) officials raised concerns about broad plans to approve driver assistance systems.
The original plan would have allowed cars to handle tasks like lane changes, turning at junctions, and stopping at traffic lights while drivers kept their hands off the wheel. However, the rules have now been revised to limit these features to simpler actions, such as lane switching, and drivers must keep their hands on the wheel.
In September, UK officials explained the changes, saying: “Introducing system-initiated manoeuvres is a significant step which entails a degree of unknown. While a driver assistance system may reduce collisions, it could also introduce new safety risks.”
In January, officials from the UK, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands asked for more evidence on the safety of these systems, stating: “The technological advancements in these systems are promising, but concerns remain about their impact on driver behaviour, situational awareness, and overall safety.”
As a result, only a basic version of Tesla’s FSD is expected to be allowed in the UK and Europe in the next year.
Marc Van Impe, Tesla’s former head of safety policy, who was involved in these discussions, left the company for SpaceX in October. He criticized the slow pace of progress, saying it harms Europe’s competitiveness.
Tesla has been selling the “full self-driving” feature as a paid upgrade since 2016, costing £6,800 in the UK, though it doesn’t currently provide full autonomy.
Last year, Tesla said it hoped to roll out full self-driving in Europe by early 2025, but Musk recently acknowledged that this is unlikely.
“Europe is a layer cake of regulations and bureaucracy, which really needs to be addressed,” Musk told investors in January, expressing uncertainty about whether Tesla would launch the system in 2025.
Tesla could seek an exemption from the regulations. In 2023, Ford got an exemption to allow drivers of the Mustang Mach-E to take their hands off the wheel on UK motorways.
Thousands of US drivers use the FSD system, and Musk has said he hopes Tesla cars will be able to drive “unsupervised” later this year, as part of his plan for a robotaxi business.
Last year, Musk also revealed a “cybercab” with no pedals, steering wheel, or mirrors, which Tesla hopes to start producing in 2027.
Despite calling the system “full self-driving,” Tesla’s driver assistance technology is legally different from fully autonomous driving systems. In fully autonomous cars, the company would be held responsible for the vehicle’s actions, rather than the driver.
A spokesperson for the DfT said: “The UK has some of the safest roads in the world. With 88% of recorded road accidents involving human error, advanced driver assistance technology could play a crucial role in reducing accidents and saving lives. Road safety is our priority, and we’re working closely with other countries to ensure these technologies are safe while helping to create jobs and grow the economy.”
