Tesla provided inflated safety data to European regulators in the Netherlands and Sweden to gain approval for its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system, according to a Reuters investigation. The company claimed its FSD technology could be up to 10 times safer than human drivers and potentially save 32,000 lives annually, but independent road safety researchers say these figures are based on unrealistic assumptions and misleading comparisons.

What Safety Claims Did Tesla Make to European Regulators?

In late 2024, Tesla approached the Dutch Road Transport Agency (RDW) to begin the FSD approval process. In a November 2024 letter, the company provided a link to its safety report and stated that "active use" of FSD makes roads safer. The RDW approved the use of FSD in the Netherlands in April 2026, and the Dutch regulator is now seeking EU-wide approval on Tesla's behalf.

Shortly after the Dutch decision, Tesla's regulatory policy manager Ivan Comusanac sent a slide presentation to Swedish regulators claiming that Tesla vehicles using FSD can travel more than seven times the distance between accidents compared to the average American driver. The presentation also claimed that FSD could potentially save 32,000 lives and prevent 1.9 million injuries.

Why Are Independent Experts Calling These Claims Misleading?

Road safety researchers interviewed by Reuters identified several critical flaws in Tesla's methodology. The company's safety comparisons rely on unrealistic assumptions and skewed data that artificially inflate FSD's performance. Here are the key problems experts identified:

• Unrealistic Population Replacement: Tesla's figures assume every vehicle in the U.S., including trucks and accident-prone motorcycles, will be replaced by a Tesla passenger car equipped with FSD, which is not a realistic scenario.
• Flawed Accident Severity Comparison: Tesla compares the frequency of accidents involving FSD-driven vehicles that triggered airbags with the overall accident rate for all vehicles in the U.S., which includes far less serious incidents, creating an unfair comparison.
• Vehicle Age Bias: The company compares its vehicles to the average American car, which is much older than the average Tesla, skewing results since automakers have gradually introduced new safety features that reduce accidents over time.

These methodological issues mean Tesla's headline safety claims significantly overstate the actual performance of its technology.

The RDW declined to comment on the specific issues Reuters identified but noted in a statement that it "does not rely on marketing claims or external statistics" when making decisions. Instead, the agency conducts its own "tests, analyses, and inspections" of the system on public roads and test tracks.

"Swedish regulators look beyond the headline figures and any assessment of such a system would be based not solely on aggregated safety claims, but on the totality of the evidence presented," noted Anders Eriksson, an investigator with the Swedish Transport Agency.

Anders Eriksson, Investigator, Swedish Transport Agency

How Are Regulators Responding to Tesla's Safety Claims?

European regulators appear to be taking a cautious approach despite Tesla's aggressive marketing of safety statistics. The RDW's statement suggests the agency independently verified FSD's performance rather than relying on Tesla's provided data. Swedish regulators similarly indicated they examine the full body of evidence rather than accepting headline figures at face value.

Tesla did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment regarding the investigation. The company's stock rose about 1% on June 15 following the report's publication.

Why Does This Matter for Tesla's European Strategy?

Tesla has stated that FSD approval in Europe is crucial for growing car sales in the region. The company is attempting to regain market share after sales plummeted last year, partly amid protests against CEO Elon Musk's political activities. However, the Reuters investigation suggests Tesla may be using questionable tactics to accelerate that recovery.

The company's European performance has recently improved. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), Tesla vehicle registrations rose by 59.6% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, with 57,792 electric vehicles sold in the EU. Tesla's quarterly market share in the EU rose from 1.3% to 2%.

The discrepancy between Tesla's marketing claims and the actual methodology underlying those claims raises questions about how the company presents safety data to both regulators and consumers. While European agencies appear to conduct independent verification, the incident highlights the importance of scrutinizing manufacturer-provided statistics in the autonomous driving industry, where safety claims carry significant weight in regulatory decisions and consumer trust.