Salvini and Musk: Italy pushes for Tesla Assisted Driving

Italy supports swift European approval of Tesla Assisted Driving. Matteo Salvini announced a phone call with Elon Musk and expressed the Italian government’s support for the European approval process for Tesla’s driver-assistance system. For those waiting to use it on Italian roads, this is an explicit political position: it is not yet an announcement of authorisation or an update arriving in their cars.

The discussion took place on 29 October. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport described it as positive and constructive, linking Italy’s interest in these technologies to innovation and road safety. The message calls for a faster European decision but sets no deadline for activation in Italy.

In this article: the Salvini–Musk call · the European process · countries that have approved TAD · the driver’s role · what changes in Italy.

Salvini and Musk: Italian support for Tesla Assisted Driving

In a post published on X at 09:21 on 29 October, Salvini wrote: “Very positive and constructive conversation with @elonmusk today”. He went on to explain that Italy supports swift European approval of Tesla Assisted Driving, highlighting innovation and road safety.

The central point of the call concerns European Union approval. Italy’s support adds a favourable position to discussions among member states, without replacing the technical assessments and formal steps required for approval.

This distinction also matters when reading the headlines. A ministerial statement can influence political debate, but does not itself amount to permission to use the system. The message contains no new commercial terms, Italian-market price or indication of which cars would receive it first.

Why the European step is decisive

On 10 April 2026, the Dutch authority RDW issued type approval initially valid in the Netherlands. Extending it across the Union requires a separate process, involving an application to the European Commission and a vote by member states in the relevant committee.

The Dutch case therefore provides a concrete precedent, but does not automatically make the system available in every country. European software must also be considered in its own context: features and conditions cannot simply be inferred from a video recorded in the United States.

TAD in Europe: countries that have already granted approval

As of 29 October 2026, Tesla Assisted Driving had received national approval in ten European Union countries: the Netherlands, Lithuania, Estonia, Denmark, Belgium, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovakia and Latvia. Italy was not yet on that list.

These approvals concern individual markets and do not amount to authorisation across the EU. Regulatory approval and activation in cars are also separate steps: software rollout and vehicle eligibility determine when an owner can actually use the features.

Driver assistance: the driver remains responsible

Tesla Assisted Driving, also known as FSD Supervised, remains a driver-assistance system. It can perform many operations under supervision, but does not turn the vehicle into an autonomous car or replace the person behind the wheel.

The driver must watch the road, remain in control and be ready to intervene. This separates the discussion from plans for a driverless service: approval of a supervised system does not permit distraction or handing all responsibility to the car.

What changes now for Tesla owners in Italy

The call places the issue on Italy’s political agenda. For owners, however, actual availability will need to be accompanied by communications relating to the Italian market and eligible vehicles. Hardware, software and configuration can affect which features can be used.

The news is therefore Italy’s support for a swift European decision. The next step to watch is a formal measure and its scope: that will show what is authorised and under what conditions for drivers. For the wider European context, see our article on Tesla Assisted Driving in Norway.

We see this as a positive sign: Italy taking a position makes the wait feel a little more tangible. We would like to experience Tesla Assisted Driving on Italian roads, under clear conditions and with the supervision it requires. Would you use it on everyday journeys, or prefer to wait before trying it? Let’s discuss it in the comments.

Sources: Matteo Salvini’s post on X; RDW, type approval and the European process; Tesla, FSD Supervised; Tesla, approved markets; Corriere della Sera.

Cover photo: Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, Musk–Salvini meeting on 16 December 2023, CC BY 3.0 IT. Archive photo, resized with original Teslhub graphics overlaid; it does not depict the call on 29 October 2026. Screenshot of the X post: Matteo Salvini.