Tesla has reached a major milestone in Europe, with the launch of the continent’s first officially supported shuttle service using Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised technology. The pilot project is now operational in Germany’s Eifel district of Bitburg-Prüm and is notable not just for the technology involved, but for the level of direct backing it has received from public authorities.
The project is being carried out in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate and is officially supported by the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Transport, along with local municipalities and licensing authorities. According to the ministry, all parties worked closely from an early stage to make the program possible, positioning it as the first FSD Supervised shuttle service in Europe launched with formal support from a transportation ministry, a local community, and Tesla.
A Rural-First Approach to Autonomy
Unlike many autonomous driving pilots that focus on large cities, this initiative is specifically designed for rural mobility. Officials say reliable and flexible transportation is especially critical outside metropolitan areas, where fixed-route transit options can be limited. The Tesla shuttle is intended to complement existing community and citizens’ bus services by offering more adaptable routing and improved accessibility for residents.
The service operates on public roads in the Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm and uses Tesla vehicles running FSD Supervised. As required under current European regulations, a trained safety driver remains present in the vehicle and is legally responsible at all times. While the system is not autonomous in the legal sense, it allows authorities to evaluate how advanced AI-assisted driving performs in real-world conditions rather than closed test environments.
Strong Political and Regulatory Backing
The pilot was personally accompanied by Daniela Schmitt, Rhineland-Palatinate’s Minister for Economic Affairs and Transport, who experienced the technology firsthand. In a statement, the ministry emphasized that the project delivers tangible benefits for everyday life, including greater flexibility, improved accessibility, and added value for local residents.
Officials also highlighted the cooperative framework behind the launch, which brought together municipalities, approval authorities, and Tesla. That collaboration is being viewed as a potential model for how future supervised autonomy projects could be rolled out elsewhere in Germany and across the European Union.
Why This Matters for Tesla and Europe
For Tesla, the Bitburg-Prüm shuttle marks an important step in expanding FSD Supervised beyond North America and into one of the world’s most tightly regulated automotive markets. Germany already plays a central role in Tesla’s European operations through Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg, and this pilot further deepens engagement with regulators and public-sector partners.
More broadly, the project signals a shift in how European authorities are viewing advanced driver-assistance systems. Following supervised test drives throughout much of Europe and early positive results, transport ministries and municipalities are increasingly recognizing that FSD Supervised can provide real benefits for citizens when deployed responsibly.
