Tesla says rumors that FSD will start pilot run in Shanghai untrue

There were rumors over the weekend that Tesla FSD would be running in Shanghai on a pilot basis, but this was denied.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

Rumors over the weekend that Tesla's FSD (Full Self-Driving) will start a pilot run in Shanghai have been denied.

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"The information is not true," local media outlet Cailian said in a brief report today, citing a response from Tesla China about the rumors.

On May 12, a Shanghai official said the city would further deepen its cooperation with Tesla and promote the electric vehicle (EV) maker's self-driving and robotics businesses in Shanghai.

Shanghai will work with Tesla to build a technology industry cluster with core technology advantages for the global market, Chen Kele, deputy director of the intelligent manufacturing promotion division at Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, said at the time.

Chen did not directly mention Tesla's FSD at the time, although it was the first hint of support from Chinese officials for Tesla's software.

Before that, local media outlet Caixin said in an April 3 report that Tesla was about to begin widespread testing of FSD in China.

All Tesla vehicles currently come with the free Basic Autopilot (BAP) software. In addition, Tesla also offers Enhanced Autopilot (EAP), FSD software as an option.

EAP and FSD cost $6,000 and $15,000 in the US, and RMB 32,000 ($4,480) and RMB 64,000 in China, respectively.

On June 9, CITIC Securities analyst Lian Yixi's team said that the trend of Tesla FSD entering China is becoming clearer, which is expected to accelerate the intelligent process of local EVs.

However, this is still facing two major problems from becoming a reality -- data collection qualification and supercomputing centers, according to the team.

Also on June 9, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, that the company would be happy to license Autopilot/FSD or other Tesla technology.

This is the first mention of FSD on Musk's Weibo account since 2021, although the account appears to be managed by Tesla's team in Beijing. The Tesla CEO visited China earlier this month and met with several top Chinese officials.