Tesla FSD: Why is France Refusing the Revolution of Autonomous Driving?
- Published on 04/09/2026 18:18
While robotaxis are already operating without drivers in the United States, France is just beginning to test two Teslas equipped with supervised FSD.
Two cars. That’s where France stands today with Tesla’s FSD (Full Self-Driving). Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot has confirmed the launch of trials on French roads to assess this automated driving technology before a possible broader authorization.
An advancement, certainly. But it’s hard not to look at what’s happening elsewhere. Several European countries have already gained an edge in experimenting with or regulating automated driving. And especially, on the other side of the Atlantic, what still resembles the future here is already a part of daily life.
And yet, it works!
Waymo currently operates several thousand robotaxis in the United States and completes hundreds of thousands of paid rides each week. In several major American cities, customers order a car just as they would hail a ride-hailing service… with the difference that no driver is sitting behind the wheel.
And the accumulated results are starting to weigh heavily. Over more than 220 million miles traveled in fully autonomous driving, Waymo claims to have 82% fewer accidents with injuries compared to comparable human drivers. Data from Waymo, certainly, but now covering a considerable amount of miles.
This might be where the French delay in autonomous vehicles appears most striking. France isn’t even at the actual robotaxi stage yet: it is just beginning to test, with two cars, Tesla’s Supervised FSD, a system in which the driver must remain attentive and responsible.
Meanwhile, in the United States, vehicles are already operating commercially without a driver onboard, while robotaxi projects are also progressing elsewhere in Europe.
In other words, while some are already working to make driverless cars a means of everyday transportation, France is still determining under what conditions it can authorize a supervised intermediate technology that involves a human.
Safety obviously requires not skipping any steps. But it must not become synonymous with stagnation. Because by waiting too long, France may end up watching the revolution of autonomous driving pass by while it develops and industrializes elsewhere.
READ ALSO: Autonomous car: Waymo dismantles Tesla’s strategy!
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This page is translated from the original post "Tesla FSD : Pourquoi la France refuse-t-elle la révolution de la conduite autonome ?" in French.
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