Following a prominent trip to the United Arab Emirates last weekend, Elon Musk addressed inquiries on X regarding the arrival of Full Self-Driving (FSD) in the UAE. He provided an optimistic briefing, stating, “Hopefully, next month,” indicating a potential rollout in January 2026. This would position the UAE as the fifth country outside of North America to gain access to FSD, succeeding China, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
FSD Versions in Different Markets Currently, while North America has access to FSD version 14, many other regions are still utilizing version 13. In fact, China, Australia, and New Zealand operate on FSD v13, with South Korea being the outlier that is using v14. A significant point of curiosity revolves around which Tesla vehicles will be eligible for FSD in the UAE. Outside of North America, FSD is exclusively available on vehicles equipped with Hardware 4 (HW4). Although Tesla has plans to expand FSD compatibility to HW3 vehicles in new areas, this has not yet been realized. It is speculated that Tesla may be awaiting the release of an updated version of FSD, referred to as FSD v14 lite, sometime next year before enabling FSD for HW3 vehicles. 
Context and Ambitions of the UAE This announcement closely follows Musk's meeting in Dubai with Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai, and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE. The UAE has been vigorously endorsing autonomous transportation, having passed Law No. 9 in 2023, which regulates the operation of autonomous vehicles. The ambitious goal is to have 25% of all transportation trips in Dubai be smart and autonomous by 2030. ### An Expanding Global Map for FSD If Tesla successfully launches in the UAE, it will signify an increasing disparity in the regulatory frameworks around the globe. While the European Union remains ensnared in the lengthy processes of the UNECE bureaucracy, which is yet to finalize the necessary DCAS regulations for systems like FSD, dynamic nations such as the UAE and Israel are swiftly removing bureaucratic obstacles.
Date | Region
- October 2020 | United States
- March 2022 | Canada
- February 2025 | Mexico
- February 2025 | China
- August 2025 | Australia
- August 2025 | New Zealand
- November 2025 | South Korea
- January 2026? | UAE
- Coming soon | Israel
Elon Musk has previously indicated that FSD is technically prepared for a worldwide rollout, with local regulations being the only limitation. By potentially launching in the UAE in January, Tesla is essentially asserting its preference for markets that prioritize innovation, while slower regulatory environments will need to catch up. 
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