Tesla has confirmed that it will be releasing its Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised system in South Korea. The announcement came through a post from Tesla Korea’s official account on X, which featured a video showing the system navigating local roads in a Tesla Model S sedan.
FSD Supervised in South Korea
The teaser video posted by Tesla Korea showed a vehicle performing lane changes, navigating intersections, and even parking without driver input, all while the driver kept their hands off the steering wheel. The footage was filmed on domestic roads, suggesting that Tesla Korea has been initiating FSD test drives in the country for some time.
Tesla’s FSD software currently exists in two versions: supervised and unsupervised. The supervised version still requires driver attention, while the unsupervised variant, which is being used in the company’s Robotaxi service, allows full autonomy. Tesla has confirmed plans to expand supervised FSD to Europe, and China, as well as markets like Japan, sometime next year.
South Korea’s FSD likely for U.S.-made cars to start
In South Korea, Tesla’s popularity has surged despite FSD not yet being available in the country. This is largely due to the new Model Y, which was launched in April. Thanks to the vehicle’s reasonable price and features, the new Model Y has driven domestic sales up 92.8% year-over-year, securing Tesla’s place among the country’s top imported carmakers.
With FSD, Teslas become significantly more compelling vehicles. Analysts warn, however, that legal and regulatory hurdles could complicate FSD’s local introduction. Over 80% of Teslas sold in South Korea are manufactured in China, and those vehicles must comply with domestic safety standards, as noted in a Chosun report.
Industry experts suggest the first wave of FSD-enabled vehicles will likely be U.S.-made, as models built under the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement automatically meet South Korean safety requirements.
“Since the supervised FSD is a technology that assists driving, its introduction in South Korea is technically feasible. However, potential conflicts with domestic road laws and safety standards are a concern,” one industry insider told local media. “US-made vehicles are not subject to South Korean safety standards due to the Korea-US FTA, making FSD implementation relatively easier, whereas the situation differs for Chinese-made vehicles.
