Tesla has received permission to test its supervised self-driving software on public roads in the Flanders region of Belgium.
A spokesperson for regional minister Annick De Ridder confirmed the approval, calling it an important step in the company’s testing plans in Europe.
The authorisation lets the U.S. electric vehicle company test the system using one car under a general testing permit. Authorities designed this as a controlled first phase before any wider rollout.
Tesla can start testing as soon as it secures a licence plate and insurance for the vehicle. Officials said this could happen as early as Wednesday or Friday, since Thursday is a public holiday in Belgium.
Last week, Annick De Ridder explained that Flanders was considering a fast-track approval process.
This followed a move by Dutch regulators, who had already given provisional approval for the system in the Netherlands last month.
That made the Netherlands the first European Union country to allow the software on public roads, although drivers still must stay alert while using it.
Once fully approved, the Flanders permit would apply throughout Belgium, not just in one region. That would allow wider testing under the same conditions.
“The vehicle will be tested over approximately 5,000 kilometres to evaluate any differences with the Dutch road infrastructure and traffic rules. If the results are positive, work can quickly be done on a provisional European type approval,” De Ridder said in a post on X.
Officials view this step as part of a larger effort in Europe to study and expand supervised self-driving technology under strict regulations.
