Tesla’s push to expand Full Self-Driving (FSD) beyond North America has taken a significant step forward with Abu Dhabi becoming the latest city to put FSD (Supervised) to the test.
For the first time, Tesla vehicles equipped with FSD (Supervised) are operating on public roads in the UAE under a structured regulatory framework and with direct government oversight.
The trials, announced on February 26, are being overseen by the Integrated Transport Centre (Abu Dhabi Mobility) with support from the Smart and Autonomous Systems Council.
According to the government, these tests are being conducted in live traffic conditions across Abu Dhabi. Officials say the goal is to gather detailed operational data to determine how the driver-assistance system performs in everyday driving scenarios — from dense urban corridors to high-speed roadways — while maintaining a human driver behind the wheel at all times.
The trials are being carried out within a structured regulatory framework designed to measure both performance and safety readiness before any potential expansion.
The program is also being coordinated with the Legislation Lab at the General Secretariat of the UAE Cabinet, showing that the initiative is not just about testing technology, but about building a policy framework around advanced driver-assistance and autonomous systems.
Abu Dhabi has been steadily positioning itself as a regional hub for autonomous mobility, previously expanding robotaxi operations and introducing regulatory pathways for smart vehicles. The data collected during these road trials will ultimately determine whether FSD (Supervised) is ready for broader deployment in the UAE.
