I’ve already driven 2,000 km with Full Self-Driving in the Netherlands. Here are my thoughts on the system.
Overall, I’m really impressed with what the first version (2026.3.6) has shown so far. I’m a big Tesla fan, and I’m writing this with a critical eye in order to help improve the software. The car is already safe enough to drive with driver supervision. That said, here’s what can still be improved and what went wrong:
Biggest positive:
The car didn’t wreck itself and generally makes very safe decisions. Sometimes it simply refuses to drive further, and you have to press the accelerator to continue. On my first night drive, the car suddenly panicked and stopped in the middle of the road because of a special type of curb (a traffic island curb). It even wanted to turn around 😅. It was quite funny.
The next day, during daylight, the same curbs were no problem at all.
The only time I was really forced to intervene happened in the first two days. The car stopped perfectly before a railroad crossing with closing barriers, but then accelerated again and wanted to proceed just as the barriers were almost fully closed. I imagine this can be a scary moment for drivers using self driving.
Another important thing I noticed, especially during rush hour on the highway, is that the car activates its turn signal with enough space to change lanes, but then starts doubting itself and aborts the maneuver. This happens quite often. It’s very annoying, so I usually disengage and change lanes myself.
It feels like the software is missing some decisive strength. Even when another car gives way or flashes its high beams, the car still won’t change lanes. Especially in traffic jams, you need to think and act quickly to safely navigate through traffic.
Driving in urban areas, like the city centre of Groningen, is genuinely impressive. However, sometimes the car doesn’t proceed on a green light and needs a little nudge. It also often fails to take the right of way when crossing cyclists and pedestrians and can wait endlessly. In Groningen, you’re required to cross the bus lane to reach the left-turn lane, but the car simply refuses to do it.
I think what the software really needs in the Netherlands is an assertive driving boost. I understand Tesla’s very safe approach to avoid damage or crashes, and I know the strict RDW requirements play a big role. But because the car lacks assertiveness, it sometimes creates dangerous situations — other road users (especially cyclists, motorcyclists, and cars) anticipate differently. This is particularly noticeable with cars and motorcycles on the highway.
Finally, the car still won’t park itself properly. When navigating to a Supercharger, it sometimes stops in front of the Van der Valk hotel. When navigating to a parking spot, it often stops in the middle of the road or parks crooked — either at an angle or awkwardly between two spots.
In my opinion, this is partly caused by the heavily regulated Dutch environment. Tesla had to limit the software too much to comply with local rules. Because of this, the car is sometimes too restricted to make the correct decisions.
Still, I believe in Tesla and the mission to massively improve road safety. I’m confident that future updates will dramatically improve the system. The RDW and Europe should trust Tesla more — they have already proven it works in the United States.
The future is autonomous, and Tesla rocks! 🔥