Image: Tesla
Tesla is officially bringing its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) system to Israel, marking another important step in the company’s global autonomous driving rollout. According to Israel Hayom, the country’s Ministry of Transportation has approved Tesla to participate in a supervised autonomous driving trial on public roads, allowing vehicles to operate using FSD while a driver remains in the seat and ready to take control at any time.
The approval positions Israel as a key testing ground for advanced vehicle technologies. In announcing the decision, the Ministry of Transportation said that “the trial represents a significant part of Minister Miri Regev’s work plan to strengthen Israel’s position at the forefront of development, testing and implementation of advanced vehicle technologies and to turn it into an international center for smart and autonomous vehicle development and testing.”
Transportation Minister Miri Regev framed the move as both a safety and innovation play. “The State of Israel leads in innovation with giant steps,” she said, adding that integrating smart autonomous systems on public roads under supervision is another step toward strengthening road safety and reducing accidents caused by human factors.
The trial approval followed a professional discussion at the Ministry of Transportation that included Tesla Israel CEO Itay Raved, senior officials from the Vehicle Division, and representatives from the Tax Authority.
Ministry Director General Moshe Ben Zaken emphasized the government’s broader regulatory push, saying, “The Ministry of Transportation is working to adapt regulations and remove barriers in a rapidly changing vehicle world. Israel currently serves as a preferred testing and development arena for advanced vehicle technologies for leading global vehicle manufacturers, and we are committed to enabling responsible innovation, economically and in terms of safety, for the benefit of the public and the economy.”
While the Israel trial will focus on Tesla’s supervised FSD system, it comes as the company continues to make rapid progress elsewhere. Tesla’s internal, unsupervised autonomous system has already begun offering fully driverless Robotaxi rides in Austin, Texas. At the same time, Full Self-Driving (Supervised) is now live in seven countries, with South Korea being the most recent addition, and Tesla has also teased a potential launch in the UAE.
Israel’s approval also stands in contrast to Europe, where Tesla is still pushing for regulatory clearance through extensive ride-along programs and political engagement. If successful, the Israeli trial could further strengthen Tesla’s case as it works to expand FSD into more global markets.
