Tesla self-driving software received Belgian approval for supervised testing. The Silicon Review reports on the Flemish government's permit for the German-built Model Y fleet under real traffic conditions.
Belgium has authorized Tesla to test its unsupervised self-driving software on public roads, marking the first European approval for the electric vehicle maker's autonomous driving system outside Germany.
The Flemish government granted the permit on May 12, 2026, following an inspection of the vehicle technology and the company's data management protocols. Testing will take place on public roads in the province of Flemish Brabant, supervised by the Flanders' Agency for Roads and Traffic.
A fleet of five German-built Tesla Model Y vehicles will operate under the permit. While the test is supervised, the system is designed to operate without driver intervention within defined operational conditions.
"Flanders is the first region in Belgium to allow this. With this, Flanders is positioning itself as a pioneer in the field of self-driving vehicles," said Flemish Mobility Minister Annick De Ridder.
The approval follows the Belgian notification procedure for the pilot project. The rollout will proceed in two phases: closed-campus validation followed by public road testing.
Unlike the supervised tests permitted in Germany, Tesla aims to confirm that its automated driving system can be used safely without a driver. The company has not yet applied for deployment or commercial use, which would require type approval from the European Commission and national authorities.
Tesla has not yet publicly commented on the Belgian approval.
As Tesla self-driving software receives Belgian approval for supervised testing, Business Honor tracks the autonomous driving race with Flanders positioning itself as Europe's new proving ground for driverless technology.
Q: Where is Tesla testing self-driving cars in Europe?
A: Tesla is testing its self-driving software in Belgium's Flemish Brabant province. The Flemish government granted the permit on May 12, 2026, for a fleet of five Model Y vehicles.
Q: What Tesla cars are used for self-driving tests in Belgium?
A: A fleet of five German-built Tesla Model Y vehicles are being used for the supervised testing. The system is designed to operate without a driver under specific conditions.
Q: Does Tesla have self-driving approval in other European countries?
A: Yes, Tesla has supervised testing permits in Germany. The Belgian approval is the first unsupervised testing authorization outside Germany. Tesla has not yet applied for commercial use in Europe.
Q: What is unsupervised self-driving testing?
A: Unsupervised testing means the car drives itself without a human safety driver. Supervised testing requires a driver to monitor the system and take over if needed. Belgium's permit is for supervised testing.
Q: Why did Belgium approve Tesla self-driving tests?
A: The Flemish government wants to position Flanders as a leader in autonomous vehicle technology. The approval followed inspections of Tesla's vehicle technology and data safety.
Q: When can I buy a self-driving Tesla?
A: You cannot buy a self-driving Tesla today. Tesla has stopped selling Full Self-Driving as a one-time purchase. You can only subscribe monthly for $99 per month in the US. Fully unsupervised self-driving is not available to the public yet and may arrive in late 2026 at the earliest.
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