Tesla said last month that it expected to launch FSD in China in the first quarter of 2025, but people familiar with the matter said the rollout progress is not expected to mirror the speed as the company itself planned, according to China Daily.
Tesla's (NASDAQ: TSLA) timetable for launching FSD (Full Self-Driving) in China is likely to be delayed again, a new report hints.
The US automaker announced on social media platform last month that it expected to launch FSD in China in the first quarter of 2025, but people familiar with the matter say it may not be that soon, according to a report in the official China Daily today.
“The rollout progress is not expected to mirror the speed as the company itself planned,” several sources close to the matter confirmed, according to China Daily.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on an earnings call in July that the company would likely receive regulatory approval to launch FSD in other markets, including Europe and China, by the end of this year.
On September 5, Tesla's AI team's account, @Tesla_AI said on social media platform X that the EV maker planned to launch FSD in China and Europe in the first quarter of 2025, subject to regulatory approval.
Tesla has yet to receive regulatory approval from Chinese authorities to launch FSD functions in the country, and is currently seeking permission to collect some data on its own to train its autonomous driving system, according to the China Daily report today.
Tesla's proposal remains to be fully evaluated by Chinese authorities, including technology, data security, laws and regulations, and other relevant standards, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.
Although it has not yet received official approval, the Chinese government will partially support its trial test of FSD functions in some cities, the sources said, according to the report.
As data security has been a key obstacle to the full rollout of FSD, Musk has proposed direct access to some non-sensitive video data to train its Autopilot system, two people close to Tesla said, according to the report.
The Tesla CEO has also suggested that a dedicated government team could thoroughly assess this video data to ensure its security, one of the sources said.
Other people acknowledged the matter and said Chinese authorities did not immediately respond to the request given existing rules and regulations, the report said.
To comply with China's geodata regulations, Tesla has stored all data collected on its Chinese vehicles in China since 2021 and works with local companies to collect data to support its driver assistance systems.
All Tesla vehicles in China come with the free Basic Autopilot (BAP) software.
Although not yet actually in China, Tesla allows owners to purchase FSD for a one-time fee of RMB 64,000 yuan ($8,980).
In addition to FSD, Tesla also offers Enhanced Autopilot (EAP) in China at half the price of FSD.
Earlier this week, Tesla reopened a limited-time free FSD transfer window in China, allowing Chinese customers who purchased Tesla vehicles on or before December 31 to transfer their original FSD to a new vehicle for free. The window last ran from February 7 to March 31.
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