Tesla's Full Self-Driving Software Expands to Lithuania

The electric car manufacturer has made its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software available in Lithuania, following its approval in the Netherlands in April.

Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) driver assistance software is now available in Lithuania, marking the second European country to approve its use. The move is a crucial step for the company, led by CEO Elon Musk, in its ambition to position itself as a leader in AI and robotics, not just an automaker.

The availability of FSD in Europe is also significant for Musk, as his $1 trillion pay package is tied to hitting specific product goals, including achieving "10 million active FSD subscriptions" by 2035. Currently, the company has nearly 1.3 million paying FSD customers globally.

A Long Road to 10 Million Subscriptions

Tesla's FSD (Supervised) first launched in beta in late 2020 and has undergone regular updates to remove bugs, improve reliability, and enhance performance. The advanced driver assistance system can handle driving maneuvers such as steering, lane changes, and parking, but still requires active driver supervision. In January, Musk announced that the feature would only be accessible through a monthly subscription of $99, replacing the previous one-time fee.

The rollout of FSD in Europe has been slower compared to the United States due to regulatory scrutiny. However, with the successful approval by the Dutch regulator RDW, the process may accelerate. If RDW achieves EU-wide acceptance, other European countries can recognize Dutch certification and allow for FSD, with several countries already in the queue.

European Expansion

The Greek transport ministry has announced plans to grant approval for FSD, while Belgium is also expected to authorize its use following the same authorization process used by RDW. FSD is currently available in Australia, Canada, China, Mexico, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, South Korea, and the United States.

A Vision Beyond FSD

FSD (Supervised) is not the only product that fits within Musk's vision of turning Tesla into a leader in AI and robotics. FSD Unsupervised, a version of the software that handles all driving without human intervention, is used in a small fleet of Tesla robotaxis operating in Austin, Dallas, and Houston. Additionally, the company's Optimus humanoid robot is not yet in mass production or available to consumers.

Tesla's expansion into AI and robotics is an exciting development in the tech industry, and the availability of FSD in Lithuania is a significant step towards making European roads safer, one by one.