Tesla FSD Supervised Demonstrates Gesture Recognition in European Road Tests

Tesla showcases FSD Supervised recognizing human gestures during European road tests, highlighting updates to its vision system and regulatory context.

Tesla has demonstrated how its FSD (Supervised) system behaves on European roads in situations where human judgment has traditionally been decisive. In a released video, the vehicle correctly recognizes gestures from traffic officers and other drivers, responding in a manner comparable to a human behind the wheel.

The key development is tied to FSD (Supervised) versions v14.2 and v14.2.1. The official release notes state that the neural network vision encoder was upgraded to leverage higher-resolution features. This enhancement is intended to improve recognition of emergency vehicles, road obstacles, and human gestures. In that context, gesture interpretation is not an isolated feature but part of a broader upgrade to the system’s visual processing capabilities.

In the demonstration, the car proceeds through a red light under a police officer’s direction, continues after a full stop at a STOP sign when signaled to move, and interprets another driver’s gesture permitting a maneuver at an intersection. The vehicle’s behavior appears smooth, without abrupt braking or hesitation that might disrupt traffic flow.

The update also references improved logic for interacting with emergency vehicles and expanded arrival options at a destination. Together, these elements suggest a comprehensive refinement of perception and decision-making rather than a single incremental change.

At the same time, technological progress remains closely tied to regulatory approval. The Dutch authority RDW has confirmed that Tesla is expected to demonstrate compliance with safety requirements under an agreed timeline targeting February 2026. The regulator has emphasized that this schedule is not guaranteed and depends on the outcome of evaluations. European legislation provides a framework for exemptions for new technologies under Article 39 of Regulation (EU) 2018/858, though specific details regarding any application are not publicly disclosed.

Journalistic test drives in Germany have also highlighted that FSD remains a supervised system requiring an attentive driver. While demonstrations show confident performance in urban environments, it is not classified as fully autonomous and still depends on human oversight.

The ability to interpret human gestures represents a meaningful step in aligning automated systems with the informal realities of road traffic. If the technology proves reliable in complex scenarios and meets regulatory standards, it could mark a notable milestone for advanced driver-assistance systems in Europe.