Tesla has been authorised to test its supervised self-driving software on public roads in Belgium’s Flanders region, marking a key step in the company’s European testing rollout, a spokesperson for regional minister Annick De Ridder has said.

The approval allows the U.S. electric vehicle maker to begin testing the system on one vehicle as part of a general authorisation process.

According to the spokesperson, the company could begin testing as soon as it obtains a licence plate and insurance for the vehicle, potentially as early as Wednesday or Friday, given that Thursday is a public holiday in Belgium.

Last week, De Ridder said the Flanders region was examining whether it could quickly authorise the technology after Dutch regulators provisionally approved its use on roads in the Netherlands last month. The Netherlands became the first European Union country to allow the software, which can control a vehicle but still requires drivers to remain attentive.

The authorisation in Flanders, once fully granted, would be valid across Belgium.

“The vehicle will be tested over approximately 5,000 kilometres to evaluate any differences with the Dutch road infrastructure and traffic rules. If the results are positive, work can quickly be done on a provisional European type approval,” De Ridder said in a post on X.

The development is seen as part of broader efforts to assess and expand supervised autonomous driving systems within Europe under regulated conditions.