Lithuania was among the first countries in Europe to establish a legal framework for testing autonomous vehicles on public roads, back in 2018. It signalled the country’s ambitions as an innovator in transport technology. Yet hopes of a rapid breakthrough failed to materialise – major manufacturers showed little interest in Lithuania, and significant investment never arrived. Juras Žymančius, a senior lawyer at the law firm COBALT, says that after a prolonged pause, Lithuania is returning to the subject of autonomous transport – this time under different circumstances.

In 2026, the Transport Ministry and the Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration decided to recognise a temporary EU type-approval for Tesla’s FSD (Full Self-Driving Supervised) system, issued by the Dutch vehicle oversight authority. The decision was taken under European Union rules permitting member states to recognise type-approvals for new technologies granted by other countries.

The system’s name, however, may create a misleading impression. “Despite the ‘Full Self-Driving’ branding, this is not legally a fully autonomous system,” Žymančius notes. “In practice, it is better understood as an advanced driver-assistance technology. The driver retains responsibility, must continuously monitor the traffic situation, and must be prepared to take control of the vehicle at any moment.”

Lithuania has been here before

Although discussions about autonomous transport may feel fresh, Lithuania’s first experiments followed swiftly after the legal framework was put in place.

In 2022, the retail chain IKI tested autonomous delivery vehicles on the streets of Vilnius in collaboration with the Estonian company Clevon. The vehicles operated on public roads and fulfilled real customer orders.

Read more: LRT.LT